wunderkammer
Aug. 18th, 2010 07:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prettygoodwordwunderkammer (VUN-duhr-kahm-muhr) - n., a room displaying miscellaneous (especially odd or unusual) objects, a cabinet of curiosities.
In German, literally, "wonder chamber." We use the German word more often than the English phrase because the concept developed in Germany in the 16th century. Typically, the objects would be of natural history, covering the walls and even ceiling -- cabinets (in the original sense of chamber) with art would be a kunstkammer. The Wikipedia article has a good bibliography and an extensive links list for examples.
---L.
In German, literally, "wonder chamber." We use the German word more often than the English phrase because the concept developed in Germany in the 16th century. Typically, the objects would be of natural history, covering the walls and even ceiling -- cabinets (in the original sense of chamber) with art would be a kunstkammer. The Wikipedia article has a good bibliography and an extensive links list for examples.
---L.
