Wunderkammer

You are now in the room that contains some pieces of "Ludovico Moscardo’s Wunderkammer". They were rooms that historically existed which spread from princely courts in northern Europe from the mid-16th century after the great geographical discoveries. Responding to an authentic passion, at just over twenty years of age, he began to take an interest in all that is art and nature. Ludovico Moscardo was among the first in Italy to inaugurate the new seventeenth-century of the museum as a "microcosm," conceptually linked to the models of the Kunst-und Wunderkammer. While privileging the arts to the "naturalia", the goal of the Moscardo Museum was to harmoniously reflect the multiple, confused and often incomprehensible aspects of the Cosmos.

At the centre of the room you can see in the showcase a printed volume (Verona, 1672) written by Ludovico Moscardo where he illustrated his own museum and the main objects in it. The catalogue also describes items from the collection attributed to Francesco Calzolari (1522-1609), a Veronese apothecary known for setting up one of the world’s first Natural Museums. The Calzolari collection was purchased in 1673 by Moscardo.

The holy water soup

This Byzantine Holy Water Stoup, dating to the sixth century AD, has a slightly raised edge with three recessed small notches functional to the stability of the lid. The decoration is simple, a continuous branch of large vine leaves in relief, under which runs the clear inscription in Greek capital letters. The text is composed of two related biblical verses. The first reads: "draw water with joy," the second one "because above the waters [is] the voice of the Lord." Another font, typologically similar in shape, size and text, is now located in the Torcello Provincial Museum (Venice). Both finds come from the church (destroyed) of S.S. Marco and Andrea di Murano. The Veronese specimen was first published by Jean Mabillon in his “Iter Italicum.” Passing through the city in May 1685, he was able to admire it in the house of Count Francesco Moscardo, son of the collector Ludovico. 

Canopic jar

Generally, the Egyptian canopic jars contained the vital organs considered essential for the afterlife. The deceased’s organs were wrapped in resins and bandages after being removed from the corpse during the mummification process.  The vase on the right has been the subject of a recent study. It is the canopic jar of Gemes, son of Naomsesis. The inscription on the vessel bears the words of Neit, the tutelary deity of Duamutef (one of the four sons of Horus). Duamutef, personified by the canopic jar and its lid, was entrusted with the protection of the embalmed stomach of the deceased, still preserved inside the vessel.