Grand Tour Cameo Book, Ca 1820 - "dolce Gemme Antichi"

Grand Tour Cameo book. Date ca 1820. Egizio style. Complete book with plaster pellets and their description. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, wealthy young men traveled across Europe on what was called the Grand Tour. Their travels were primarily focused on Italy and Greece, ostensibly to further their studies in classical art and culture, but mostly as an excuse to have a good time. In addition to Old Master paintings, many returned home with classical sculptures to adorn their gardens and homes. The Grand Tour featured another popular type of travel souvenir: cameos and intaglios. The taste for these engraved antique gemstones enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the late 18th century as part of the Classical Revival, and later, during the Regency period, they began to be reproduced as miniature casts in plaster, or cameos.