This course examines the historical phenomenon of the Grand Tour, a cultural pilgrimage through Europe in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries that often culminated in a visit to Italy. By the 1700s, Italy had become a magnet for wealthy Northern Europeans who hoped to be “improved” and entertained by the peninsula’s warm climate, artistic riches, and countless other attractions. Many of these tourists were accompanied by painters, sculptors, and architects, who were drawn to Italy by the educational and economic opportunities on offer there. Some of these artists attended Italy’s well-respected art academies, while others developed lucrative careers as art dealers and guides. All of these developments had important consequences for the history of taste and the emergence of an international art market, while exposure to foreign peoples, places, and objects shaped the cultural perceptions of both travellers and their hosts in numerous ways. By considering a variety of artworks and texts, in class and at local museums and libraries, this course shows how the Grand Tour helped shape the world that we live in today.

Elective