Section of an Alpine model from the Cabinet of Curiosities in the Berlin Palace

The relief of the Swiss Alps was one of the main attractions in the Cabinet of Curi­osities. Assembled from ten pieces, it provided an overview of the mountain rangesand valleys with a precision that had never before been achieved. At 4.9 × 2.6 metres in size, Joachim E. Müller’s model was not only a cartographic masterpiece, but also undoubtedly a breathtaking sight. The final panel, which still exists, was added upon there commendation of Alexander von Humboldt in 1821. It shows the upper Rhône valley and the Aletsch glacier in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. The relief was made from plaster and then painted, with small mirrors inserted as lakes.