The Grand Tourist

Travelling for edification and pleasure, as a rite of passage for the British sons of the landed gentry, reached it's zenith in the 18th and 19th centuries.  While certainly an enjoyable year or two out of a young man's life, this trip was intended to bring about awareness of how life was lived in other lands and meant to broaden one's outlook thereby.

Acquisition of mementos of these travels would be expected as evidence of the worldliness and sophistication of the traveler.

Upon his return, the future Duke, Earl, industrial scion or wealthy firstborn son would set about creating a museum of sorts, displaying his treasures for his continued appreciation and that of his guests.

This room was referred to as a wunderkammer, German for room of wonders, or if displayed in vitrines, cabinets of curiosity.

What would you call three HOUSES filled with objects to the rafters from such travels? I would call that a museum.

Sir John Soane, as a grand tourist of the era, applied his intelligence and noble eye as well as his background as an architect to the task before him, and set about acquiring as many examples of ancient and modern artifacts as he could afford.

He acquired so many unique objects on his travels, and was so enamored of them, that he bought three adjoining houses in London, to expand his architectural practice and for the display of his treasures, and then spent the rest of his life arranging and displaying them for his own enjoyment.

His renowned museum is open to the public, inspiring thousands every year with its exquisite contents, authentic artifacts of a time and place.

The collecting of objects for decoration and enjoyment, reflecting an individuals taste and style, is obviously one of life's pleasures.

My weakness in this regard is plaster cameos, copies of Roman intaglios from thousands of years ago, and to scale architectural models.

Sir John's museum has thousands of cameos and Lord knows how many models, busts, paintings and antique Roman architectural fragments displayed in all of his rooms.

The preservation of these antiquities by a private individual, never mind their original acquisition, is remarkable.

An amazing and elegant feat for those times, or any time!

What is in your cabinet of curiosities?

+.