Outstanding & Precious, Unusual & Priceless; The Cabinet of Curiosities & the culture of collecting in Early Modern Europe

We start with the Advent of Collecting, about the beginnings of a collecting culture in Europe and the motivations that brought about the magnificent collections of art and artefacts in the Cabinets of Curiosities during the 16th and 17th centuries.

The second lecture is entitled Scholarly Pursuits and Princely Opulence. European collectors brought together diverse objects to impress upon visitors the erudition, the wealth and power of the collector. The lecture ranges from Rudolf II in Prague to the Dutch merchants of the 17th century, the Golden Age of Dutch art. It includes displays that could be in ornate table top cabinets crafted from rare woods and sequences of opulent rooms in princely palaces.

We finish with For the Greater Good. Our greater good. We will see how the Cabinet of Curiosities shaped the nature of our modern day museums and galleries.

How to book this event:

Complete and return booking form

DOCUMENTS

Study Day Booking Form Nov 24 v4.pdf

THE ARTS SOCIETY ACCREDITED LECTURER

Dr Albert Godetzky

Albert Godetzky’s research concentrates on Northern European art of the early modern period. He is currently Associate Lecturer at the Courtauld Institute where he received his PhD with a thesis on ‘Haarlem Mannerism’. Before joining the Courtauld, Albert was Visiting Lecturer at The Victoria & Albert Museum and the Harry M. Weinrebe Curatorial Fellow at the National Gallery, London, where he contributed to exhibitions including Rembrandt: The Late Works and Vermeer and Music: The Art of Love and Leisure. Albert also works as a cultural advisor to several international corporate institutions and private individuals, drawing on his experience in the field and using education to widen understanding of and participation in the study of art history.