Fragile Masterpieces

Description

The exhibition aims to explore the connections between science, art, health, and globalization that occurred in modern Europe from the 15th to the 17th century, using pharmacy containers as an example. Albarelli are the most iconic pharmacy vases of the Italian Renaissance. Pharmacists used them to store ingredients and their own medicines. Their precious decorations make these ceramics true artistic masterpieces, in a perfect blend of craftsmanship and technology, characterizing the very image of the pharmacy over time. These artifacts demonstrate how pharmacies were part of a complex cultural system capable of bridging the economic aspect, the scientific world, and simultaneously the artisanal and artistic knowledge. Pharmacy vases allowed a select group of people to exercise their authority and dominance over knowledge and practice, in a context marked by rapid advancements in the pharmaceutical and medical fields. Focusing on the materiality of the different containers, the exhibition investigates the ongoing search for new knowledge and technologies, as well as the networks for exchanging raw materials and knowledge. Albarelli are a characteristic example of experimentation and transformation of raw materials, linking ceramic workshops to pharmaceutical practices. For the first time, a special exhibition is dedicated to the collection of maiolica at the Museum of Pharmacy in relation to current research, which includes not only a historical-artistic and historical-pharmaceutical study but also a non-destructive scientific investigation of the pigments and oxides used to maiolica the vases.

Highlights

• Exhibition on pharmacy containers from the 15th to 17th century
• Focus on the intersection of science, art, and health
• First dedicated exhibition of maiolica at the Museum of Pharmacy

General Information

The exhibition 'Fragile Masterpieces' at the Pharmazie-Historisches Museum der Universität Basel explores the connections between science, art, health, and globalization in modern Europe. It features iconic pharmacy vases known as albarelli, showcasing their artistic and cultural significance in the context of historical pharmaceutical practices.

Location

Totengässlein 3, 4051 Basel, Switzerland

Hide Map

Loading map...

How to get there

Get Directions