The Musei Archeologici Nazionali di Venezia e della Laguna are delighted to unveil A cabinet of wonders: a celebration of art in nature, an unprecedented exhibition showcasing the George Loudon Collection (United Kingdom), curated by Dr. Thierry Morel. Set within the opulent Palazzo Grimani—an exquisite testament to Tuscan-Roman Renaissance architecture in Venice—the exhibition also features a reconstruction of a 17th-century Wunderkammer. This installation forms a poetic dialogue between the Grimani family’s historic passion for collecting and George Loudon’s own contemporary vision.

Produced by the Ministry of Culture, the George Loudon Collection, and Venetian Heritage, the exhibition will grace the piano nobile of Palazzo Grimani from December 15, 2024, to May 11, 2025. Visitors will traverse the splendidly adorned rooms, including the Sala di Psiche, Camerino di Apollo, Camerino di Callisto, the Chapel and its vestibule, the dining room, and the Neoclassical room— each offering a feast for the senses.

On display is a mesmerizing selection from George Loudon’s collection of 19th-century life science artefacts, reimagined as a groundbreaking art installation. These objects are complemented in the first part of the exhibition by an array of treasures evocative of 17th-century collectors’ cabinets, including rare artefacts, natural curiosities, paintings, bronzes, antiquities and masterpieces of the decorative arts. Highlights of the exhibition include items from prestigious institutions such as Vienna’s MAK – Museum of Decorative Art, (Museum für Angewandte Kunst) as well as Venetian institutions such as the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca’ d’Oro and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Further enriching this visual feast are exquisite furnishings and artworks drawn from distinguished private European collections, bridging epochs and perspectives.

Among the most glowing contributions are never-before-exhibited masterpieces by Venetian icons such as Titian, Veronese and Tintoretto joined by works by Sebastiano del Piombo, Jan Brueghel
the Elder and Giambologna. Together, these treasures weave an intricate narrative, celebrating the enduring interplay between art, nature, and the timeless spirit of discovery.

The curator, Thierry Morel, is supported by a Scientific Committee composed of representatives from Palazzo Grimani, The MAK, Ca d’Oro and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, whose works enrich the exhibition.

A cabinet of wonders pays tribute to the art of collecting, unfolding within the resplendent halls of Palazzo Grimani - a treasure in its own right. Once the home of Giovanni Grimani, a visionary patron whose celebrated collection of Greek and Roman statues has recently returned to the Palazzo after a 400-year absence, this setting is an unparalleled stage for such an exhibition—where the echoes of Renaissance grandeur meet contemporary curiosity.

“This exhibition emerges from a deep reflection on the nature of collecting and the historical and societal forces that have shaped and inspired it”, reflects Marianna Bressan, director of the Musei Archeologici Nazionali di Venezia e Laguna. “The legacy of the Grimani family’s collections—and particularly Giovanni Grimani’s taste—remains an enduring subject of fascination and scholarly inquiry. Through this dialogue with the George Loudon Collection, we seek to trace an imaginary thread between Renaissance and modern collecting, revealing shared passions and charting its evolution over centuries.

Here, Palazzo Grimani transcends its role as a mere backdrop. It becomes a living protagonist: a rarefied repository of the Grimani legacy and an enduring testament to their bold and visionary patronage”.

“Palazzo Grimani once housed one of Renaissance Venice’s most extraordinary collections, curated with boundless curiosity and a profound love of beauty by Giovanni Grimani and his ancestors”, observes Thierry Morel, curator of the exhibition. “This palace embodies the very essence of collecting: a passionate pursuit of knowledge, an admiration for the mysteries of the natural world, and a celebration of human ingenuity. With the George Loudon Collection showcased almost in its entirety for the first time, the exhibition serves as a bridge between past and present traditions of collecting.

Here, science and art converge, mirroring the philosophy of the 17th-century Wunderkammer, where nature’s secrets were explored through both artistic and scientific lenses. Art and science, after all, share a common purpose: the pursuit of beauty and understanding. According to Christian views of nature, beauty reflects divine perfection, as nature is God’s creation; in admiring it, we are drawn closer to the divine. By juxtaposing the Loudon Collection with masterpieces, artefacts, and treasures from other remarkable collections, this exhibition reveals how the act of collecting encapsulates our shared awe for art, science, and the splendour of the natural world".

Thierry Morel concludes: “A cabinet of wonders reawakens the timeless enchantment of collecting, a practice born of the human desire to engage with the world’s diversity and unravel its mysteries. By intertwining artistic vision and scientific inquiry, the exhibition becomes a luminous testament to the boundless power of curiosity—an eternal force that enlightens, unites, and inspires”.