T h e C a b i n e t o f C u r i o s i t i e s

The C a bin et of Curios ities

C u r    C u r i o     C u r i o u s   C u r i o s i t y

A c c o r d i n g  to  Wikipedia  and  friends

"A cab i net of curio s ities      was an encyclopaedic collection in R e n a i s s a n c e   Europe

 of

 types of objects whose categorial boundaries were yet to be defined.

They were also known by various names such as Cab inet of Wonder, 

 and in German
 Kunstkammer ("art-room") or
Wunderkammer ("wonder-room").  

 Modern terminology would categorize the objects included as belonging to N A T U R A L   H i s t o r y - and    r a t h e r    d e l i ciously (sometimes faked), also known as J ennyes 

Paul Biddles' Cabinet of Wonder

 

E N T E R   The  L o a f  of   B r e a d   F r u i t  complete with feathers dog biscuits and replete with Bishops Tu Tu

"The Kunstkammer was regarded as a microcosm or theater of the world,
 and a memory theater.  This I yam very interested by
The term cabinet originally described a room rather than a piece of furniture

The Kunstkammer  provided a solace and retreat for contem plation or a collection, with a special emphasis on paintings of people with interesting deformities - enter The Queen of Nipples in Paul Biddles Cabinet and also Quentin Massys Queen of Tunis or Naples - not to forget Leonardo’s earlier drawing of a Grotesque   - all t h r e e appear to be wearing what I can only describe as a    Bull et Brass iere

The Queen of Nipples

You can see Leonardo's wonderful drawing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grotesque_Head.jpg 

 

wondrously small clock work automata - such as the Do Do you see before your very eyes   ethnographic specimens of delight   strangely reminiscent of tinned fruit on Sunday Afternoons
"antlers,  horns, claws,    feathers and other unmentionable things belonging to

 strange and curious animals"

The Mermaid of Prague

You can    see    more

of the new series  C a b i n e t   o f   C u r i o s i t i e s

https://paulbiddle.com