Cabinet of curiosities

In the 16th century the cabinet of curiosities emerged. It could be a room or a piece of furniture where a collection was held. The collections would contain pieces of art, artifacts and natural history. It was a collection of artificialia and of naturalia.

They arose from man’s fascination for culture and nature, but they also had a social function. The collectors wanted to impress visitors. During the time of the voyages of discovery, people came into contact with all kinds of new elements, that were collected by the people who had the means for it and those who had the knowledge about it.

In the section of the naturalia we find things such as ostrich eggs and nautilus shells.

Some of these cabinets eventually became museums.