The Spencer Cabinet
Exhibition
Exhibition Overview
The Spencer Cabinet
November 3, 2022–December 31, 2027
mobile app exhibition
“Cabinets of curiosities”—also known as “wonder rooms” or “cabinets of wonder”—first gained popularity in 16th-century Europe. Rather than adhering to categories that museums often use to organize collections, these eclectic groupings brought together specimens from nature, archaeological relics, and works of art. These varied collections reflected not only the marvels of their time, but also prompted inquisitiveness about the world. The Spencer’s cabinet draws from our wide-ranging collections to inspire wonder and evoke curiosity.
Works of art
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
balance for gold dust,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
spoon for gold dust,
late 1800s–early 1900s
Roman Bronze Works
primate figure,
early 1900s
Roman Bronze Works
vase,
early 1900s, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Roman Bronze Works
vase,
1700s–1800s
Roman Bronze Works
苦瓜 kugua (bitter melon), snuff bottle with stopper,
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Paul Teeter
scarab paperweight,
1920–1922
Paul Teeter
Holy Family with Angels,
date unknown
Ercole Ferrata
Virgin and Child,
circa 1650
Ercole Ferrata
Ercole Ferrata
Isis and the infant Horus,
circa 300 BCE, Ptolemaic Kingdom, 332 BCE–30 CE
Johann Joachim Kändler; Meissen Porcelain Factory
Der Tritonenfang (Triton Fishing),
late 1890s–early 1900s
Durand Art Glass
vase,
1924–1931
Robert Carston Arneson
untitled,
1975
Robert Carston Arneson
snuff bottle with stopper,
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Robert Carston Arneson
佛手 foshou (citron), snuff bottle with stopper,
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Harry Andrew Jackson
Two Champs II,
1979
Richard M. Hollander
Western Landscape,
1978
Irene Bishop; Rookwood Pottery
vase,
1907
Marie-Alexandre-Lucien Coudray
Orphee,
1899
Marie-Alexandre-Lucien Coudray
votive tablet (tsa-tsa),
1700s–1800s
Wilhelm Wagenfeld; Württemberg Metal Factory
vase,
1950
Wilhelm Wagenfeld; Württemberg Metal Factory
Saint Sebastian,
late 1400s–mid 1500s
Wilhelm Wagenfeld; Württemberg Metal Factory
statue of a young child,
circa 1700s
Pablo Picasso
Bouquet à la pomme,
1956
Robert Lazzarini; Franz Collection, Inc.; Image Imports
teacup, saucer and spoon,
2003
Robert Lazzarini; Franz Collection, Inc.; Image Imports
standing Bodhisattva,
Edo period (1600–1868)
Robert Lazzarini; Franz Collection, Inc.; Image Imports
standing Bodhisattva,
Edo period (1600–1868)
Robert Lazzarini; Franz Collection, Inc.; Image Imports
table screen,
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Pablo Picasso
Hibou (Owl),
1953
unrecorded Dogon artist
equestrian figure,
late 1800s–1975
Hezekiel Ntuli
bust of a woman,
1930s–1963
Lucy M. Lewis
jar,
1950–1992
Lucy M. Lewis
Susannah Biondo-Gemmell
Drawing for Prometheus I,
2006
Susannah Biondo-Gemmell
Susannah Biondo-Gemmell
Susannah Biondo-Gemmell
瑞宝章 Zuihōshō (First Class Medal of the Order of the Sacred Treasure),
November 1, 1895, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Susannah Biondo-Gemmell
bianhu (pilgrimage flask) with dancing monkey,
600–700s, early Tang dynasty (618 CE–907 CE)
Susannah Biondo-Gemmell
迦諾迦伐蹉 Seated Nahan Ganakgabeolcha (Sanskrit: Kanakavatsa),
late 1600s–early 1700s, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
Carol Prusa
Navel,
2011
Carol Prusa
Carol Prusa
Carol Prusa
container,
200–300s, Roman Empire, 27 BCE–476 CE
Carol Prusa
jar,
300–400s, Roman Empire, 27 BCE–476 CE
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
Santo figure of St. Francis of Assisi,
early 1800s
unrecorded Asante artist
Figure of a Demon,
early 600s CE, Tang dynasty (618 CE–907 CE)
David James Gilhooly
Thinking Frog,
1986
Masuda Myōchin Munemasa
自在置物 jizai okimono (articulated crab),
mid 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)
Masuda Myōchin Munemasa
vajra (scepter),
late 1900s
Masuda Myōchin Munemasa
conical bowl,
early 1200s
Frank Fleming
Mean Smiling Frog,
1982
Linda Lighton
Banana,
1994
Murakami Takashi; Kaikai Kiki Gallery
smiling flower,
2006
Louis Comfort Tiffany
compote,
early 1900
Buccellati
murex ramosus seashell,
circa 1950s
Buccellati
murex ramosus seashell,
circa 1950s
Buccellati
bursa bobo seashell,
circa 1950s
Gene Caples
Searching Man,
circa 1930
Diego Giacometti
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
unrecorded Asante artist
weight,
late 1800s–early 1900s
Tetsugendō Naofusa
鍔 tsuba (sword guard) with geese passing the moon,
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Kinai School
鍔 tsuba (sword guard),
1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Hirata School
鍔 tsuba (sword guard) with wisteria,
1600, Edo period (1600–1868)
Tsu Jinpo
鍔 tsuba (sword guard) with lobster,
Edo period (1600–1868)
Ishiguro Masakatsu
鍔 tsuba (sword guard) with dragon flies,
1850s, Edo period (1600–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)
Umetada (Okada) Zenzaemon Nobumasa
鍔 tsuba (sword handle) with 鐙 abumi (stirrups),
late 1600s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Umetada (Okada) Zenzaemon Nobumasa
birds and plum, snuff bottle with stopper,
circa 1850s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Ōtsuki Mitsuhiro
小柄 kozuka (knife handle) with crane,
Edo period (1600–1868)
Gōto School
小柄 kozuka (knife handle) with deer,
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Mitsunaka
縁 fuchi (hilt collar) and 頭 kashira (butt cap) with spring flowers and insects,
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Yan Yutian
Second Spring, snuff bottle with stopper,
1895, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Yan Yutian
snuff bottle with stopper,
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Elie Nadelman
standing figure,
mid 1900s
Victor Durand Jr.; Vineland Flint Glass Works
vase,
circa 1926–1928
Victor Durand Jr.; Vineland Flint Glass Works
horses, snuff bottle with stopper,
1850–1875, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Victor Durand Jr.; Vineland Flint Glass Works
Victor Durand Jr.; Vineland Flint Glass Works
head of Buddha,
500s, Sasanian dynasty (224–651)
Bi Rongjiu
snuff bottle with stopper,
1890–1920, Qing dynasty (1644–1911) to Republic of China (1911–1949)
Bi Rongjiu
plate with Mt. Fuji and pine trees,
1800s, Edo period (1600–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)
Bernardaud; Jeff Koons
Balloon Dog (blue),
2002