It began in the 1660s. Young, aristocratic men—the kind with plenty of pocket money, a grounding in Greek and Latin literature, and an appetite for the arts—would embark on an ambitious, often arduous adventure through Europe, marking the culmination of their classical education. This intellectual voyage came to be known as “the Grand Tour,” and peaked in the 19th century, with the rise of neoclassicism.
Accompanied by a teacher or guide, grand tourists usually began their itinerary in London, before visiting Paris, Geneva, Berlin, and a smattering of Italian cities: Venice, Florence, Naples, Sicily, and always Rome. There was no fixed route. They clambered through ancient sites and paid homage to new, Baroque architecture. They observed Italian medieval and Renaissance masterpieces up close. The wealthiest travelers were accompanied by a sketch artist, who generated mementos en route, while others commissioned engravings from artists revered in Italy, like Giovanni Battista Piranesi.
On returning, grand tourists’ brought lavish trunks packed with souvenirs from local artisans: marble busts made in the image of the ancients, leather-bound volumes, Venetian glassware, illustrated ceramics. Seen now, these artifacts—and others, inspired by them—are odes to knowledge seeking and the enduring fascination of the classics.
