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»The Wunderkammer« of the orphanage was set up between 1736 and 1741 as a collection of art and natural objects. In the sources, it is usually referred to as the »Chamber of Naturalia«. The chamber was open to all interested visitors and was shown as part of guided tours. Unlike a modern museum, the Wunderkammer was not primarily about the individual object, but about the objects as a whole. It essentially served four purposes: the glory of God and his creation, science, school lessons and as a promotional instrument for the Francke Foundations and Halle's Pietism.

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Here you can see some atmospheric images from the Cabinet of Artefacts and Natural Curiosities

Curiosity

In Renaissance and early modern collections, the objects on display were also intended to showcase the status of their owners and arouse curiosity. Until the early 18th century, the astonishing, curious, unusual and inexplicable were a natural part of the staging of art chambers and cabinets of rarities.

The religious cabinet contains a dragon figure made of ray skin, called a basilisk, which is also found in other old collections. The name »Bachi from China« and the bishop-like head shape could refer to the Jesuit Leonhard Bachin, who was once regarded as the Antichrist. Despite its religious appearance, the figure is not a cult object, but a collector's item made by sailors. Gründler also depicted it symbolically on the animal cupboard - as a reference to its actual origin.

© Jörg Gläscher / Franckesche Stiftungen, R.-Nr.: 0420

Science

Corals were popular and very valuable collector's items in early modern cabinets of rarities, to which magical effects were sometimes attributed. For a long time, collectors and naturalists argued about whether these fascinating creatures were stones or plants or even both. Today it is clear that corals are small sea creatures that are at home in all the world's oceans. As they cannot move on their own, they remain together in colonies for their entire lives.

© Jörg Gläscher / Franckesche Stiftungen

Lessons

The Cabinet of Artefacts and Natural Curiosities was used for educational purposes and was shown to school classes from the Latina and the Royal Paedagogium. The models were used to present possible fields of work and job-specific requirements and techniques on the one hand, and to teach the basics of applied mathematics, geometry, natural history, economics and technology on the other.

© Markus Scholz / Franckesche Stiftungen, R.-Nr.: 0752

Divinity and marketing

The chamber honoured God's creation with all of its objects and the overall work and its spiritual roots were always referred to during visits. However, the chamber was also a place to present the Francke Foundations to the public and promote them. Its value as a public attraction was recognised very quickly in the 18th century and, as proof of its own success story and that of Protestant Christianity in general, it reported extensively on its missionary work in India, for example.

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People in the early modern period often interpreted books that remained almost intact in fires as a great miracle. Several prints were also sent to the Francke Foundations, which are said to have withstood the flames. In addition to the Bible, the most important genres of Protestant edification literature were represented in the form of prayer books, devotional books and hymnals. They were regarded as an expression of the special divine protection that lay over these books, which were widely read in Pietist circles.

© Franckesche Stiftungen R.-Nr.: 1057

The order of the chamber

© Franckesche Stiftungen

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