Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
Chamber of Wonders
Three galleries in the Walters Art Museum are installed to suggest a 17th-century collection that might have been the pride of a sophisticated nobleman in the Southern Netherlands (present-day Belgium). They encompass an Entry Hall of Arms and Armor, announcing commitment to noble values of family honor; the collector's private Study where intricate small objects were kept close at hand; and a more spacious Chamber of Art and Wonders where scholars and other special guests gathered to marvel at, examine closely, and discuss remarkable treasures and other extraordinary wonders, both of nature and human ingenuity from every part of the known world: everything that incited curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. They suggest the worldview, enthusiasms, and status of courtiers close to the royal governors, Archduke Albert and Archduchess Isabella, who ruled the country on behalf of her father, King Philip II of Spain, and are portrayed in the Walters' painting, The Archdukes Albert and Isabella Visiting a Collector's Cabinet of ca. 1621-23.
For more information, we offer an online exploration of the Chamber and its contents.

Pendant with a Lion | Title |
1600-1650 (Baroque) | Period |
57.618 | Accession |
creature | Tags |

Pendant with an Official Wearing Earspools and a Headdress of Stylized Animals | Title |
ca. 900 | Period |
42.307 | Accession |

Pendant with Shark and Snake | Title |
800-1521 (Pre-Early Conquest) | Period |
57.285 | Accession |
panama, gold, pendant, jewelry, chiriqui, shark, snake, animal, pre-columbian, centralamerica, ancientamerica, ancientamericas, southamerica, necklace | Tags |

Pendant with Winged Female Half-Figures | Title |
ca. 1550-1600 (Renaissance) | Period |
44.477 | Accession |

Pierced Plaque with a Dragon | Title |
ca. 15th century | Period |
42.1464 | Accession |

Plaque with the Annunciation | Title |
ca. 1600 (Baroque) | Period |
46.9 | Accession |

Plaque with the Virgin's House at Loreto | Title |
ca. 1550 (Renaissance) | Period |
44.305 | Accession |

Platter | Title |
ca. 1640-1660 (Baroque) | Period |
47.429 | Accession |

Portable Writing Desk with Geometric Patterns and Moorish Designs | Title |
1550-1650 (Late Renaissance) | Period |
65.22 | Accession |

Portrait of a Courtier | Title |
ca. 1565 (Renaissance) | Period |
37.380 | Accession |

Portrait of a Gentleman | Title |
1560-1569 (Renaissance) | Period |
37.563 | Accession |

Portrait of a Nobleman in Armor | Title |
ca. 1570-1580 (Late Renaissance) | Period |
27.409 | Accession |

Portrait of a Noblewoman | Title |
1617 (Baroque) | Period |
37.377 | Accession |

Portrait of an Infant Boy Holding an Apple | Title |
ca. 1600 (Late Renaissance) | Period |
37.2004 | Accession |

Portrait of Infante Ferdinand of Spain | Title |
ca. 1574 (Renaissance) | Period |
37.551 | Accession |

Presentoir and Serving Fork | Title |
1580-1620 (Baroque) | Period |
57.1565 | Accession |
presentoir, fork, poland, amber, edbm | Tags |

Reclining River Nymph, Arethusa | Title |
1700-1720 (Baroque) | Period |
27.426 | Accession |

Reliquary with Relics of Christ's Shroud and of Various Martyrs | Title |
1598 (Baroque) | Period |
62.3 | Accession |

River Landscape with Mining | Title |
1620-1629 | Period |
37.1730 | Accession |
landscape, atmosphericperspective, dog | Tags |

Rock Crystal Casket | Title |
ca. 1470-1500 (late Medieval-Renaissance) | Period |
57.695 | Accession |

Saint Anthony Assaulted by Demons | Title |
1625-1630 (Baroque) | Period |
37.1006 | Accession |
painting, hey, dutch, saint, demons, demon | Tags |

Saint Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata | Title |
1620-1629 (Baroque) | Period |
37.783 | Accession |

Saint George and the Dragon | Title |
1620-1644 (Late Renaissance) | Period |
37.1769 | Accession |

Saint Sebastian | Title |
1680-1700 (Baroque) | Period |
71.362 | Accession |
lute | Tags |

Scarab | Title |
664-486 BC (Late Period) | Period |
42.383 | Accession |

Scarab | Title |
664-525 BC (Late Period) | Period |
42.364 | Accession |

Scarab Amulet | Title |
1330-1213 BC (New Kingdom) | Period |
42.2 | Accession |

Scarab Amulet | Title |
1070-736 BC (Third Intermediate Period) | Period |
42.58 | Accession |

Scarab Amulet | Title |
1648-1539 BC (Second Intermediate Period; Hyksos; Late MB IIB) | Period |
42.16 | Accession |

Scarab Amulet | Title |
1794-1539 BC (Late Middle Kingdom-early Second Intermediate Period) | Period |
42.14 | Accession |

Scarab Amulet | Title |
1648-1539 BC (Second Intermediate Period; Hyksos) | Period |
42.25 | Accession |

Scarab of Akhenaten | Title |
1351-1334 BC (Amarna) | Period |
42.71 | Accession |

Scarab of Hatshepsut | Title |
1479-1458 BC (New Kingdom) | Period |
42.60 | Accession |

Scarab of Neferu-Re | Title |
1479-1458 BC (New Kingdom) | Period |
42.56 | Accession |
red | Tags |

Scarab of Thutmose IV | Title |
1397-1388 BC (New Kingdom) | Period |
42.72 | Accession |

Scarab of Thutmose IV | Title |
1397-1388 BC (New Kingdom) | Period |
42.73 | Accession |

Scarab with a King Holding a Captive | Title |
1279-1213 BC (New Kingdom) | Period |
42.381 | Accession |
creature | Tags |

Scarab with Crowns and Cobras Design | Title |
ca. 1794-1539 BC (Late Middle Kingdom-Second Intermediate Period; MB IIB) | Period |
42.33 | Accession |

Seated Brahma | Title |
15th-17th century | Period |
54.2555 | Accession |

Seated Buddha in "Maravijaya" | Title |
15th century | Period |
54.2773 | Accession |
buddha | Tags |

Seated Guanyin | Title |
ca. 1575-1600 (Ming) | Period |
41.132 | Accession |

Sestertius (Coin) of Titus | Title |
80-81 CE (Roman Imperial) | Period |
59.645 | Accession |

Sestertius (Coin) of Vespasian | Title |
71 CE (Roman Imperial) | Period |
59.644 | Accession |

Shark Pendant | Title |
700-1520 (V-VI) | Period |
57.287 | Accession |
creature, shark | Tags |

Southern Seaport in a Storm | Title |
1660-1669 (Baroque) | Period |
37.1921 | Accession |

Spoon and Fork with Heads of Minerva | Title |
1550-1600 (Renaissance) | Period |
57.678 | Accession |

Standing Buddha in Abhayamudra | Title |
16th century | Period |
54.2815 | Accession |

Standing Male Figure | Title |
ca. 14th century (Yüan) | Period |
42.328 | Accession |

Table Cabinet with Allegorical Figures Holding Musical Instruments | Title |
ca. 1625 (Baroque) | Period |
65.23 | Accession |

Tankard with Medal of Sigismond I, King of Poland | Title |
Tankard: ca. 1550-1575; Medal: 1538 (Renaissance) | Period |
57.1029 | Accession |