Domesticated Wonder? “Orbis in domo”, or the In-Cased Space of Cabinets of Curiosities

Cabinets of curiosities reveal a spatial complexity of the very highest order. From the organization of the entire room right through to the furniture and the drawers, this article highlights how curiosities invade the domestic space through an often-contrived disorder. Using printed collection catalogs as source materials, the article analyzes the dominant trends from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, showing how furniture and ornamentation secured a prominent role.