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Grand Tour Seating

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
Late 19th c. Venetian Polychrome and Gilded Shell Top Grotto Chair
By Pauly et Cie
Located in San Francisco, CA
Naturalistically carved, the back decorated with a shell, lifting to reveal a tufted cushion back and seat. The pedestal base is shaped into rock formations, polychrome decorated. T...
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Late 19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Seating

Materials

Gold Leaf

Late 19th c. Venetian Polychrome and Gilded Shell Top Grotto Chair
Late 19th c. Venetian Polychrome and Gilded Shell Top Grotto Chair

Late 19th c. Venetian Polychrome and Gilded Shell Top Grotto Chair

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Grand Tour seating for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Grand Tour seating 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 seating created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with beech, gold leaf and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Grand Tour seating made in a specific country, there are Europe, and Italy 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 seating differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $9,500 and tops out at $9,500 while the average work can sell for $9,500.

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