Wunderkammer Documentary Explores Cabinets of Curiosity Across Europe

Francesco Invernizzi's documentary 'Wunderkammer – Le stanze della meraviglia' (not to be confused with Todd Haynes' film) is the fifth installment of Magnitudo Film's art season. Shot in 8K and distributed by Magnitudo Film with CHILI, the film journeys through cabinets of curiosity that flourished in 16th-century Europe and persist today. It examines collections across Italy, France, Austria, and England, featuring interviews with directors of the Poldi Pezzoli Museum, Mudec Milan, Museo di Palazzo Poggi Bologna, and Sir John Soane's Museum London. The documentary traces the origins of wunderkammern in the Middle Ages, their evolution into modern museums, and the distinction between naturalia (crocodiles, tigers) and artificialia (unique objects). It highlights the private ownership by nobles and rulers, the lack of order in early collections, and the enduring mystery of object provenance.