The Habsburg Cabinet of Arts and Wonders: Magic of Nature and Mechanism of the Universe

The virtual visit of the display "The Habsburg Cabinet of Arts and Wonders: Magic of Nature and Mechanism of the Universe" presents the most valuable artworks - rarities of the famous collections of Archduke Ferdinand II (1529-1595) and Emperor Rudolph II (1552-1612). These sovereigns were admires and collectors of everything extraordinary, rare and exotic, either brought from far countries or created in Europe.
The virtual visit is based on items from Cabinets of Arts and Wonders in the in the Ambras Castle near Innsbruck and in Vienna. On display are high appreciated naturals and artworks executed of natural materials (halls 2, 5, 6). For a long time they used to believe in magic of these things, i.e. "Snakes' Tongues" (petrified sharks' teeth), tortoise-shell, cups of rhinoceros' horn and bezoars (stomachic stones of some ruminants) were considered to protect from poisons, cups  of ostrich eggs were considered to give the strength of ostriches. In royal Cabinets of Arts and Wonders there were preserved various exotic shells (hall 5). They could be either untreated or skillfully framed or made a part of an artwork. Cabinets of arts and Wonders were oriented for purchasing of interesting, new and fashionable things.  The virtual visit acquaints with collections of scientific instruments - calendars, a clock, a compass (halls 1, 3).  It was an epoch, when people were delighted with mechanisms of clocks, spheres and automates, the mechanic move of which was always predictable and regulated.  The highest achievement of art of mechanisms' construction were automates as complicated constructions, imitating life by their movement (hall 4).
In the XVIth century, tournaments were a necessary part of any celebration. Gorgeous and ceremonial armours from workshops of the best weapon-makers occupied an honoured place in the Habsburg Cabinets of Arts and Wonders
(hall 1, 4).
Have a nice time !