Greenblatt’s Resonance and Wonder Essay Example

forms are to be displayed. It is inevitable that the curators will then have to choose one over another, thus creating the impression that the qualities of wonder and resonance are closely linked to the curators’ decisions. One illustration that Greenblatt provides in the essay is that of a museum. In certain settings of a museum display, there are instances where boutique lighting is observed, the method where lightings are fixed in certain positioning.

The fixations of the lights are aimed making the objects displayed call to mind the dream of possession. By doing so, it is expected that such a dream of possession will go beyond the object displayed and will then be placed onto the museum itself. The very essence of “Resonance and Wonder” can be easily identified in terms of the object and its surroundings. The object’s surrounding may not necessarily be confined to the inorganic surroundings of the object as it can also include those who view the object displayed.

Given only the object, the focal point of attention of the perceiver will be locked towards the displayed object precisely because the object itself exudes certain evocative qualities. At such a moment, it can be said that the viewer of the object does not merely view; he is placed in a state of wonder towards the object. The instance of a viewer being ‘wondered’ by the object displayed can also be applied to museums which display such objects.

As Greenblatt points out, certain lighting styles can further transfer certain feelings towards the object and certain qualities emanating from the object to the immediate surrounding where the object is displayed. In the case of museums,

given the suitable conditions such as lighting fixtures, the evocative qualities can be transferred onto the atmosphere of the museum thereby making the museum a focal point of attention apart from the object. “Resonance and Wonder” provides interesting insights into the domain of museographics in useful ways.