Model of the Temple of Concord of the Grand Tour. Italy ca. 1900

Model of the Temple of Concord of the Grand Tour. Italy ca. 1900.
Cork. Wooden base.
Measurements: 75 x 42 x 33 cm.

The cork model that is being auctioned represents in detail the Temple of Concord in Agrigento, the largest Doric building in Sicily and one of the best preserved Greek temples, and was made during the time of the Grand Tour. The term "Grand Tour", which appears for the first time in Richard Lassels' "The Voyage d'Italie", was used to define the long journey through Europe, especially Italy, that young British aristocrats usually made from the 17th century onwards, but especially throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The purpose of the trip was for young people to become acquainted with the art and culture of France and Italy, to admire classical art at first hand, to learn or improve their knowledge of languages, and to establish contacts and relationships with the cultural and political elites of these countries. Travelers were often looking for pieces with which to start their own art collections, objects to take back to their places of residence as souvenirs. For this reason, workshops specialized in the replica of Roman pieces, both in bronze and marble, emerged, some of which acquired a great reputation.