Massimo Listri Cabinet of Curiosities 40th Ed

Driven by the ambition to bring together all the knowledge of humanity in a single room, collectors equipped their wonderchambers with all sorts of objects of artistic, scientific and intellectual kinds, thus forming the starting point of modern science. The Tuscan Grand Duke Francesco I. de’ Medici, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Rudolf II. as well as Archduke Ferdinand II. From the house of Habsburg, a true collector’s passion for which they spent a fortune to then present their collections as three-dimensional catalogues that should contain the whole world: architecture, interior, painting, sculpture, gemology, geology, botany, Biology and Biology and axonomy, astrology, alchemy, anthropology, ethnography and history. Be amazed at the “real” horns of the unicorn (narwhal tusks), gemstones, rare corals, glass from Murano, paintings and amazing mechanical machines. Scroll through illustrations of exotic and mythical beings and discover the famous “Coburg Ivory Carvings”, a great selection of exquisite crafts. The collections take you far back, to the Renaissance and from there through the era of discoveries, eras such as manierism and baroque to the present. Many of the former collections have long ceased to exist, but have been so carefully reconstructed or refurnished that their once spell remained. This volume allows immediate access to these great, partly bizarre, and curious treasures of humanity. To make this huge project come true, Massimo Listri traveled seven European countries for several decades. The result is a collection of magnificent photographs complemented by a competent introduction as well as detailed descriptions of all the 19 miracle chambers whose most significant pieces are particularly emphasised. Discover how this timeless area between imagination and reality shaped our civilization, modern museum conception, and our knowledge of the world. About the range Bags are 40! Since we took up our work as a cultural treasure grave in 1980, TASCHEN has stood for affordable, high-quality and sometimes great publications. Whether art or body cult – we make it possible for bookworms around the world to assemble their own libraries at unbeatable prices. Today we celebrate our 40th birthday and stay true to our motto: the 40th Anniversary Edition gathers some of the top titles of our program in smart editions – handy format, friendly price and as always produced with great dedication