Research Catalog

Title

The theater of nature, or, Curiosity filled the cabinet.

Author

Lorenz, Angela.

Publication

Bologna, Italy : Angela Lorenz, 1999

Supplementary Content

Description on artist's Web site:

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Candini, Manuela.
• Stamperia Valdonega. prt
• Laboratorio di sperimentazioni grafiche M. Leoni-D. Whitman. pop

Description

1 v. (unpaged) : ill. (some col.); 18 cm.

Alternative Title

• Theater of nature
• Curiosity filled the cabinet

Subject

• Lorenz, Angela
• Aldrovandi, Ulisse, 1522-1605?
• Settala, Manfredo, 1600-1680
• Cabinets of curiosities
• Curiosities and wonders > Collectors and collecting
• Science, Renaissance
• Museums in art
• Toy and movable books > Specimens

Genre/Form

• Artists' books – Italy – 20th century.
• Mechanical works.
• Paintings – Italy – 20th century.
• Watercolors – Italy – 20th century.
• Typefaces (Type evidence) – Centaur.
• Lepidolite.
• Mica (Mineral)

Note

• "Edition of 7 copies ... The series of seven books, plus two copies lettered A and B, form an edition with unique variants, as each copy has nine original watercolors of completely different subjects"--Artist's Web site, viewed Oct. 25, 2012. "An edition with unique variants, as ten different curiosities are depicted in watercolor for each of the seven books created"--Colophon.
• "This work was inspired by the remnants of the most famous and extensive collection of artifacts, mostly natural, in 16th c. Europe. They were amassed by Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605), the first professor of natural history ever appointed in Italy, at the University of Bologna"--Artist's Web site.
• Book consists of a central panel with 2 sections of accordion-folded pages extending from either side. When the accordions are extended from the the center, they reveal a series of 5 etchings on either side and a double-width etching on the central panel, creating the "theater." "In this position, only the 11 copper-plate etchings are visible, as a Wunderkammer or theater of nature, receding into the distance. The etchings, hand-drawn by the artist, are based on the earliest images of museums in Europe. They recreate prints commissioned by founders of collections of curiosities to represent the museums visually at the front of a published catalog"--Artist's Web site.
• A series of 9 bifolia, numbered 1-9, is mounted in the folds of the blank versos of the accordion-folded sections. Each contains a page of letterpress, together constituting a poem by Lorenz, and an original watercolor; the 9 original watercolors "are based on manuscript illustrations commissioned by ... Aldrovandi ... [or] by Manfredo Settala (1600-1680)" for their collections of curiosities; cf. colophon. A 10th unnumbered bifolium, inserted in the last fold of the right-hand section, contains a letterpress artist's statement/colophon.
• "Text printed with movable type in Centaur ... at Stamperia Valdonega of Verona"--Colophon. Printed "on acid-free paper produced by Cartiere Fedrigoni. Etchings printed with the help of Manuela Candini at the Laboratorio di Sperimentazioni Grafiche Leoni-Whitman, in Bologna ... Assistance with calendula dyeing, printing and mica cutting provided by Kate Erb"--Artist's Web site. The etchings were printed on cotton rag paper tinted with dye made from calendula flowers.

Binding (note)

• Issued in a binding structure designed and executed by Lorenz. The central panel forms the back pastedown; back board and spine are of vellum; front board is "die-cut to resemble the display cabinet in the [first] left-hand etching. In place of glass, the artist split, cut and glued into the cover, sheets of lepidolite, a purple mineral of the mica family," so that the first 2 etchings may be glimpsed underneath. "The book closes with magnets sewn into two leather straps, similar to ethnographic amulet cases, which automatically adhere to magnets inserted in the back cover when closing the book. The stitching of the straps forms the letter "U," for Ulisse Aldrovandi"--Artist's Web site.

Call Number

Spencer Coll. Ital. 1999 12-191

OCLC

819762399

Author

Lorenz, Angela.

Title

The theater of nature, or, Curiosity filled the cabinet.

Imprint

Bologna, Italy : Angela Lorenz, 1999 (Verona : Stamperia Valdonega)

Edition

Ed. with unique variants.

Local Note

Spencer Coll. copy is no. 4/7; signed in pencil by Lorenz.

Binding

Issued in a binding structure designed and executed by Lorenz. The central panel forms the back pastedown; back board and spine are of vellum; front board is "die-cut to resemble the display cabinet in the [first] left-hand etching. In place of glass, the artist split, cut and glued into the cover, sheets of lepidolite, a purple mineral of the mica family," so that the first 2 etchings may be glimpsed underneath. "The book closes with magnets sewn into two leather straps, similar to ethnographic amulet cases, which automatically adhere to magnets inserted in the back cover when closing the book. The stitching of the straps forms the letter "U," for Ulisse Aldrovandi"--Artist's Web site.

Connect to:

Description on artist's Web site:

Place of Publication

Italy Bologna.

Italy Verona.

Added Author

Candini, Manuela. Printer of plates

Stamperia Valdonega. Printer

Laboratorio di sperimentazioni grafiche M. Leoni-D. Whitman. Printer of plates

Research Call Number

Spencer Coll. Ital. 1999 12-191