The Christ Church collections reflect the variety of artefacts that that interested curious gentlemen in the 18th century with regards to natural history—mandrakes [21]—as well as human history—an ancient marble statue of Aphrodite [23]. At this time visiting foreigners began to collect ancient vases that been attracting the interest of local scholars and connoisseurs for some time. Before the upheavals of the Napoleonic wars, the Paestan bell krater now in the Ure Museum at University of Reading was included in the collections of the Vatican, published in 1767–75 by Giovanni Battista Passeri (in case I, no. 1).
21. A pair of mandrakes. Christ Church Library.
22. Paestan red-figure bell krater attributed to Python, showing a goddess looking down on Apollo and a Papposilenos, ca. 360–40 BCE. Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology, University of Reading, inv. no. 51.7.11.
23. Hellenistic statue of Aphrodite. Christ Church Upper Library.
To view more, please click on the headings below:
- Winckelmann and Curiosity - Vases
- Winckelmann and Curiosity - Antichità diverse
- Winckelmann and Curiosity - Coins
- Winckelmann and Curiosity - Gems
