Wonders need not always be colossal or grand. Smallscale objects can elicit large emotions – they can surprise and delight us or fill us with awe. The German concept of wunderkammer (‘room of wonder’) began as an aristocratic pursuit in 16th-century Europe during the Age of Exploration, whereby worldly travellers showcased marvels from far-flung places in their own homes. These cabinets of curiosities were the precursor to modern-day museums.
I came across the word while taking a tour around Villa del Balbianello, arguably the most magnificent villaSouth Pole: Aztec sculptures, artefacts from Sub-Saharan Africa and a fur-covered sled used during the Count's own polar expeditions.
