BHL Book Feature: Istoria Naturale
The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and The Field Museum are currently featuring exhibits displaying significant objects from their collections. The National Museum's Objects of Wonder exhibit will feature hundreds of rarely-displayed objects from the Smithsonian's collection. The Field Museum's Specimens: Unlocking the Secrets of Life will explore the stories behind a selection of significant objects from its collection of over 30 million specimens and artifacts.
BHL’s collection includes many #ObjectsofWonder, such as those featured in works celebrating early "wonder-rooms," or cabinets of curiosity. Our featured illustration comes from Dell'historia naturale di Ferrante Imperato (1599), which is the first published pictorial representation of a Renaissance cabinet of curiosity. Naples pharmacist Ferrante Imperato (1550-1625) cataloged his collection, which may have held as many as 35,000 plant, animal and mineral specimens!
Stay tuned this week for more books featuring Objects of Wonder. Not too long ago, we did a BHL Book Feature on Albertus Seba’s Cabinet of Curiosities, so be sure to check out those posts! Dell'historia naturale di Ferrante Imperato (1599) was digitized by @smithsonianlibraries.
