Objects for a Kunstkammer: Early European Collecting, 1550-1700

In the 16th and 17th centuries, European princes and humanists fashioned Kunstkammern, rooms of art, that reflected the world in all its variety. These collections united artistic marvels such as paintings and Chinese porcelain with natural wonders such as seashells and coral, as well as objects that combined the natural with the manmade. Focusing on the phenomenon of the Kunstkammer — the predecessor of the art museum — this exhibition features a range of works from the Harvard University Art Museums, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and private collections. Included are a mounted coconut shell, ancient coins, an ostrich egg, and rock crystal. These pieces highlight the diversity and types of rarities found in early European art collections while also revealing a cross section of the lesser-known marvels of the Harvard University Art Museums.

Organized by Yao-Fen You, Theodore Rousseau Post-Doctoral Fellow in European Painting, and Celka Straughn, 2004–2006 Stefan Engelhorn Curatorial Intern.