Browse Items (202 total)

In the 1600s the young Dutch Republic was the envy of Europe. Despite their small size and decentralized government structure, the United Provinces of the Netherlands managed to make themselves the middlemen of the world in the 17th century by…

This late 16th century German automaton mimics in miniature a masted galleon that would have sailed across the Atlantic to the New World. Designed to carry troops and guns, the actual galleon was specifically manufactured for a European navy with…

This medal was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII in commemoration of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, one of the bloodiest events of the French Wars of Religion. Catholics targeted and killed many prominent Protestants who were in Paris for the…

While a compiled work of Thomas Sydenham's has already been included in this exhibit, it is valuable to consider one of his work’s influence in English economic history and the history of opium as a whole. In his book discussing medical observations…

This coin was a common currency for the Papal states during the mid to late 15th century. Politically currency was important to the Papal States so they could continue to hold sway over the italian city states and rest of Europe. However between…

Glikl was a Jewish businesswoman who advised her husband on business matters while raising their twelve children. She took over the whole business at his death, rescued “her eldest son from repeated bankruptcies, and expanding into new markets”…

The triptych is a significant art-piece of the Northern Renaissance that stresses the ideas of Northern Humanism, specifically individual and personal study of the Bible. Campin achieves this message through targeted imagery and symbolism,…

Perhaps the most famous figure of the Scientific Revolution is the Italian mathematician Galileo Galilei, known for his contributions to the fields of astronomy and physics. He famously quarreled with the Inquisition due to controversy over his…

During the 18th century, landscape became increasingly popular. Additionally, a new interest was placed on history painting. These pieces usually depict a moment in a story which were often moments in religious narratives. This particular piece by…

In 1766, King Charles III implemented a policy banning long capes and broad-brimmed hats, despite the populace’s growing resentment towards rising prices (Brading, 536). Charles hoped the change in wardrobe would modernize the appearance of his…

Neoclassical architecture, which looked not to the Renaissance for its inspiration as the preceding baroque and rococo styles had, but instead to the classical world, was Enlightenment philosophy realized as marble and glass. Like their counterparts…