The Road to Rome: Artists and Travellers on the Grand Tour
The mouth of the Grand Canal looking west towards the Carita by Canaletto The Royal Collection © 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
The acquisition of the painting John Rolle Walter by Pompeo Batoni with HLF support provided us with a great opportunity to explore the history of the eighteenth century Grand Tour from a personal, regional and national perspective within a single exhibition.
RAMM is particularly well placed in this regard with holdings of works by artists with both Devon and Grand Tour connections, such as Thomas Patch and Francis Towne and also relevant works by Richard Wilson, John Wootton and Joseph Wright.
On display there will also be loans of important paintings by Richard Wilson (National Museum of Wales, Pompeo Batoni (The National Gallery), Joseph Wright (Tate) and Canaletto (Royal Collection). Primary sources, such as the letters of Joseph Spence and maps and guidebooks from the British Library and regional archives will be on display to inform the interpretation throughout.
