La Specola • Cabinet of Curiosities

La Specola was the very first science museum. They have hundreds of taxidermy species, a hall of skeletons, and a magnificent crystal collection. The most fascinating thing about La Specola is the fact that the wax sculptures and many of the taxidermy specimens are the same ones that were there when the museum opened. This truly showcases the curiosity and trial and error of early scientists. For example, the way they attached the hippo’s feet and how they thought a fetus developed in the womb were incorrect but it shows their desire to learn. The taxidermy collection started with the animals the Medici would bring back from hunting excursions. Some of the taxidermy specimens are very well done, whereas some look a little messed up. This just speaks to the fact that they were learning as they went, and trying to perfect their skills. The collection grew as more excursions took place. The hippo became part of the collection when a grand duke brought it to Florence. She lived in the fountain at the Boboli Gardens until she died, and then she was put in the museum. Fun facts like this shed light on the history and curiosity of the Renaissance, which makes it even more interesting. Also, the giant skeleton in the museum was actually one of the security guards for La Specola and he agreed to let them have his body after he died.  In the hall of skeletons, one of the elephant skeletons was a famous elephant that was paraded around Europe until she died in Florence. These little tid bits of information were my favorite part of the tours because they connected this little museum to the bigger picture of Florence at the time it began. 

The wax sculptures were incredible. They made me queasy, but they were so impressive. They looked so realistic because they were meant to serve as medical examples. The teamwork that went into these sculptures was great because it shows how art and science work with and learn from each other. The people who worked with corpses and knew about which organs were which, worked with the people who made the casts and the waxes. Each sculpture took about six months to complete. The detail and precision of the wax sculptures is insane. To form the nerves and veins, they would take silk thread and cover it in wax. 

The crystal hall was definitely a fan favorite. The beauty of the crystals is overwhelming. This hall was a great representation of a “cabinet of curiosity” because some crystals were organized randomly, while some were organized by color, showing the different ways one might put together their own wonder room. These crystals came from a private collection and we were so fortunate to see them before this exhibit is removed.

For my project, I was inspired by how the art in La Specola was not only beautiful, but also served a purpose in the science world. In graphic design, we are always creating things for a certain purpose or client. With that in mind I designed eight posters that would be available in the gift shop. For the other half of the project, I took my love for design to create a closet of curiosity displaying fashions inspired by the animals depicted in the posters.