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Grand Tour Ceramics

GRAND TOUR STYLE

For 18th-century young British noblemen, no education was complete without a year on the Grand Tour. Although it had no official route, the Grand Tour focused on places foundational to European art, literature and architecture, including sites in France, Germany, Switzerland and, most importantly, Italy. It was an opportunity not just to witness the roots of the classics they had studied but also to take some of it home. Grand Tour furniture was among the souvenirs.

Grand Tour furniture ranged from marble architectural models replicating ancient wonders to actual antiquities often taken illicitly, leaving a legacy of looting still being unraveled today. Other items reflected the artistic richness of the Renaissance cities and other destinations. In Italy, this included scagliola tables and pedestals mimicking marble as well as tabletops and wall panels embedded with pietra dura hard stone mosaics.

Furniture was also developed to display Grand Tour purchases in the owner’s home, presenting them as a cultivated and well-traveled person. Mahogany collector’s cabinets held objects like intaglio moldings of coins and seals while others had specialized drawers that framed pietra dura panels.

Many objects were specifically produced for Grand Tour collectors. Often accompanied by retinues on journeys lasting months or years, the elite travelers, the wealthiest of whom extended their trips to Egypt and the Holy Land, required artful personal mementos befitting the experience. For example, Grand Tour micromosaics — small artworks, most not more than two inches wide — arose from the entrepreneurial impulses of artisans who had trained in the Vatican’s workshops.

Grand Tour journeys would help inform a range of decorative styles such as neoclassical, Rococo and Adam style. (Architect and designer Robert Adam toured Italy and France for five years.) The Grand Tour flourished at a time of economic prosperity and political stability, but the French Revolution in 1789 brought it to an end. Yet as the tradition faded in popularity in England, the rising wealth of the United States led to an increase in tourism across the Atlantic and a similar passion for collecting to show one’s worldliness.

Find a collection of Grand Tour decorative objects, wall decorations, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Grand Tour
Handpainted 19th Century Grand Tour Museum Copy of a Greek Geometric Amphora Jug
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This exquisite 19th-century hand-painted ceramic amphora is a finely crafted Grand Tour museum replica of an ancient Greek Geometric-style vessel, circa 800 BCE. The amphora features...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Ceramics

Materials

Clay, Terracotta

Handpainted 19th Century Grand Tour Museum Copy of a Greek Geometric Amphora Jug
Handpainted 19th Century Grand Tour Museum Copy of a Greek Geometric Amphora Jug

Handpainted 19th Century Grand Tour Museum Copy of a Greek Geometric Amphora Jug

$769
Gilt Grand Tour Plaster Intaglio with Bust of a Man, 19th Century
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This is a 19th-century Intaglio Tassie - A seal with the bust of a man on it. Thick gilt paper wrapped around the edge mimicking a frame. There are a few tiny faults in the mold but ...
Category

19th Century English Antique Grand Tour Ceramics

Materials

Plaster

Gilt Grand Tour Plaster Intaglio with Bust of a Man, 19th Century
Gilt Grand Tour Plaster Intaglio with Bust of a Man, 19th Century

Gilt Grand Tour Plaster Intaglio with Bust of a Man, 19th Century

$560 Sale Price
20% Off
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19th Century Spongeware Salt Crock with Bail Handle
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19th Century French Creamware Mug
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19th Century Cowden Wilcox Decorated Stoneware Jug
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Large 19th Century Slipware Jug
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Previously Available Items
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Gilt Grand Tour Plaster Intaglio Tassie Seal with Proserpina Bust, 19th Century
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Grand Tour ceramics for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Grand Tour ceramics for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 19th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage ceramics created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with plaster and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Grand Tour ceramics made in a specific country, there are England, Europe, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for ceramics differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $700 and tops out at $700 while the average work can sell for $700.

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