In the eighteenth century, young aristocrats and men of means were expected to travel and study throughout Europe on what was known as the Grand Tour. This journey was considered an educational rite of passage, with stops in Rome and other Italian cities. One of the purported objectives of the Grand Tour was to gain greater knowledge of ancient history. Eager to refine their understanding of classical antiquity and their appreciation of ancient art, travelers would visit archaeological sites, tour collections, and, of course, purchase books, prints and works of art.
This section of the exhibition focuses on the Elegantiores Statuae Antiquae: in variis romanorum palatiis asservatae (1776), which was intended as a guidebook and a souvenir. Such publications featured illustrations and brief explanations of the “must see” ancient works of art in Rome. The Elegantiores Statuae Antiquae opens with what was arguably the most iconic ancient sculpture at the time, the Laocoön. This image is then followed by other celebrated works of art, such as the Nile and Tiber. From the moment of their discovery in the sixteenth century, these two statues were viewed as pendants and recognized as masterpieces. Their inclusion in the Elegantiores Statuae Antiquae also bespeaks the fascination exerted by Egypt and the Near East on the imagination of eighteenth-century travelers.
To find out more about the Elegantiores Statuae Antiquae, click on the link below.