Collecting 101

1.

History

The term ‘Grand Tour’ was coined in 1670 to describe the European travels of young noblemen to complete their education. This adventure became a rite of passage for any young Englishman of means, and by the late-18^th century, the tour reached its golden age with thousands flocking to cultural centres across the continent.

Accompanied by their tutors and valets, school and university graduates would embark on an extended gap year, spending months in each destination to learn about its art, architecture and antiquities. Along the journey, these young men would pick up souvenirs, languages, and the odd vice. It became well known that, as the tour progressed, the tutors’ supervision would ease and the young men were free to indulge in ever-more hedonistic pursuits.

The popularity of the Grand Tour spread beyond Britain, with the wealthy elites of Europe and a newly-independent America joining the cultural tourist trail. But it was the British travellers who had the deepest pockets and best connections, allowing them to purchase paintings, sculptures and ancient artefacts - all of which would be shipped back to their stately homes.

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2.

Location, Location, Location

Over time, a standard itinerary developed for the Grand Tour. Setting off from Dover, the first major stop was typically Paris, where an English gentleman could study the manners of French high society and marvel at the style of French fashions. He would then cross the Alps – perhaps carried by servants – into Italy, where his education would begin in earnest.

He would likely spend time in Turin, Milan and Florence, but the ultimate destination was Rome. Here, a young scholar could flesh out his classical education and witness first-hand the gamut of Western culture, from ancient ruins to Medieval architecture and Renaissance masterpieces. During his sojourn in Italy, he would also enjoy a different kind of education. Drinking, gambling, sex – he was free to indulge and experiment, far from the restrictions and responsibilities of home.   

The pursuit of pleasure would continue at his next stop: Venice. Famous for its art, music and pageantry, it was also the most permissive place on the tour, which positively encouraged what James Boswell called “rakish behaviour”. After Venice, the more intrepid traveller might continue as far south as Greece or simply head home, recrossing the Alps and traveling north through Germany and the Netherlands.

3.

Impact on the Arts

Alongside the acquisition of knowledge, a major objective of the Grand Tourists was to collect souvenirs of their travels. This included mementos such as paintings and sculpture, coins, antiques and furniture. Very few museums existed in Europe in the 18^th century, but these privileged travellers gained access to private collections where they could acquire Greco-Roman and Italian works as trophies to take home.

A generation of Italian artists benefited from the Grand Tourists and their desire to have a visual record of their adventure. Some commissioned portraits of themselves, set against a landscape through which they had travelled. Pompeo Batoni became the preferred portraitist, who used his skill to flatter and enhance the status of his sitter. Another popular souvenir was the ‘view painting’ – an idealised landscape from the Tour such as this idyllic scene of the Piazza del Popolo in Rome. The finest view painters of the period were based in Italy, such as Gaspar van Wittel (known as Vanvitelli) and Jakob Philipp Hackert.

Perhaps the greatest beneficiary from the influx of foreign patronage was Canaletto. His paintings of contemporary scenes from his native Venice, as well as Italy’s ancient landmarks and monuments, were tailored to the tastes of the Grand Tourists and brought him great success. In the 1740s, when war broke out in Europe and the flow of tourists trickled away, Canaletto moved to England to be close to his biggest market. Today, his evocative views of Venice can be found in major British collections.

4.

On the Market

View paintings and works inspired by the Italian countryside and coast are consistently popular with collectors around the world. Similarly, items with a connection to the Grand Tour, be it antique sculptures purchased whilst abroad or a service commissioned to commemorate a visit, are also in high demand.

Portrait of Edward Solly by Batoni, sold in 2022 for £138,900, is an exceptional example of a Grand Tour portrait. The 25 year-old sat for the artist when visiting Rome on his travels in 1753-4.

The Piazza del Popolo, Rome, was often the first glimpse of the Eternal City for visitors arriving from the North, and thus proved to a popular view.  In 2021 we sold a view of the Piazza by an artist working in the style of Bernardo Bellotto for £77,750.

Views of Italian landscapes were so popular with Grand Tourists that they were not only to be found in paintings. In 2020, we sold a rare Berlin part service , circa 1823-32, decorated with micro-mosaic views of Roman archaeological sites based on late-18th century prints. We also sold a rare Naples, Real Fabbrica Ferdinandea, topographical solitaire for £19,125 in 2022.

In 2019, an example of Roman sculpture, much prized by 18^th-century travellers, came onto the market. These two marble figures of Celtic hounds, circa 2^nd century A.D., were acquired in Italy at the end of the 18^th century by the influential collector Thomas Hope and sold at Bonhams for £807,062.