Grand Tour of Europe

Devoted to one of the best known itineraries of the past, this volume tells the story of the Grand Tour and its repercussions on the history of European art and culture.

The Grand Tour, a journey of culture and amusement across Europe, was a common practice from the 17th century to the first quarter of the 19th century. This book, then, reviews the stages of a tour that has left its mark on European culture. The opening essay, by Nicholas Foulkes, reviews the significance of the Grand Tour for international culture, especially British culture. Next, Fernando Mazzocca reviews its artistic coordinates, while Attilio Brilli explores some of the more obscure but intriguing aspects of the Grand Tour, with an intriguing selection of literary excerpts, a lively travel anthology. Accompanying the texts is a carefully curated selection of images, with works by many of the leading artists of the period.