A surprising apothecary cabinet

The History of Pharmacy Collection in Cluj includes a wide range of cultural goods, from plant and mineral remains to old drugs, containers, books, recipes and ledgers, and ending with large pieces of furniture. The largest apothecary cabinet in the collection has been preserved in situ from the old Hintz Pharmacy. Due to its size and multiple interventions in time, one faces considerable difficulties in measuring, researching, cleaning and restoring the piece. The initial surface analysis has revealed the existence of an older painted decoration, possibly from the Baroque period, in tones of blue and pink. Based on a possible analogy from the Fekete Szerecseny Patikaháza in Kőszeg (Hungary), the drawers might have been painted with vegetal garlands that once surrounded inscriptions. Though the restoration of this surprising apothecary cabinet will only be completed after the end of the present project, we can hardly wait for the complete reconstruction of its original look.