Artist: Ferrante Imperato Title: Cabinet of Curiosities in Dell’Hisotria Naturale Date: c. 1599 Location: Naples, Italy Materials: Fold out woodcut Dimensions: 31cm x 39cm (12.2 in x 15.4 in) Rights/Image Permissions: Public domain. Courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library (Smithsonian libraries)
This image is Ferrante Imperato’s cabinet of curiosities, which is depicted in his book Dell’Historia Naturale. This cabinet of curiosities consists of numerous specimens scattered on the ceiling and covering the side walls, geological discoveries displayed neatly in the back by the window, and even field notes from Imperato’s explorations piled up on shelfs to the left of the room (Cartwright). These cabinets were used as spaces for individuals to collect unusual objects to share with members of society, typically individuals of higher social status. Like today’s museums, many of these spaces contained art, costumes, and objects from the natural environment belonging to other cultures (Gihring). Some items were obtained through trade or gift giving; however, many were a product of pillaging that took place in colonies. Looting, another term for pillaging, was a way in which the colonizer could show their power over colonized individuals. By physically removing their cultural identity and replacing it with colonial forms of art, colonizers promote a feeling of inferiority within the subjugated (Kiwara-Wilson 376). These pillaged pieces served as items of “awe” or “wonder” in curiosity cabinets and were taken as sources to further the colonizer's knowledge, which was done in a way that negated the humanity of the individual owner and their cultural identity (Kiwara-Wilson 377). The ivory horn seen in the very back of Imperato’s cabinet of curiosity by the window would be an example of an object that would have been pillaged from the colonies. Cabinets of curiosities were precursors to modern day museums and the presence of museums containing items that were pillaged from other cultures still persists to this day (Gihring). This raises the modern day question of whether museums have an obligation to return these items to the original cultures that were obtained through colonial pillaging.
Sources: Cartwright, M. (2020, November 4). Renaissance humanism. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance_Humanism/ Gihring, T. (2020, May 19). Confronting the legacy of looting: From colonialism to Nazis, Mia is reckoning with the ancient problem of plunder. Confronting the legacy of looting: From colonialism to Nazis, Mia is reckoning with the ancient problem of plunder –– Minneapolis Institute of Art. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from https://new.artsmia.org/stories/confronting-the-legacy-of-looting-from-colonialism-to-nazis-mia-is-reckoning-with-the-ancient-problem-of-plunder Kiwara-Wilson, S. (2013). Restituting Colonial Plunder: The Case for the Benin Bronzes and Ivories. DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law, 23(2). Wikipedia entry can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_Curiosities_in_Dell%27_Historia_Naturale
Author Bio: Caroline Ronning is a student at Concordia College studying Nursing. She is actively involved in Concordia's Student Nurses Association as the president. Caroline is planning on pursuing a career in pediatric nursing after college. When not studying, Caroline enjoys reading and starting craft projects.