The Grand Tour was the traditional trip around Europe, often lasting three to four years, undertaken by the wealthy upper-class English during the 16th and 17th century. Their prime interest was to visit cities that were considered major centres of culture; Paris, Rome, Venice, Florence and Naples were popular destinations.

During the 18th and 19th century, the opportunity to take the "Grand Tour" spread from the aristocracy to the new industrial and professional elites, tourist destinations such as Rome shifted their attention from the privileged class to meeting the travel needs of the monied middle-class, including a healthy souvenir trade.

Souvenir engravings of tourist attractions began to appear everywhere. In addition to albums of engraved views, the Grand Tour offered another very popular type of travel souvenir, the now nearly forgotten cameos. The taste for these engraved antique gems was revived as part of the classical revival and later reproduced as miniature plaster casts. Mounted in faux book bindings, these plaster cameos provided a minutely detailed cabinet of neoclassical knowledge and art. (Princeton University).

Here you see an example of these plaster cast cameos/intaglios; an early 19th century collection of plaster cast impressions by Pietro Paoletti in twelve leather-bound faux volumes, each stamped in gold lettering on the spine Paoletti Impronte, and individually beneath Opere di vari Auttori, Museo Capitolino, Museo di Firenze e Parigi, Museo di Napoli, Villa Albani e Sommariva, Museo Sommariva, Museo Vaticano, Opere di Canova, Opere di Gibson e Opere di Thorwaldsen. Each volume hand inscribed on the interior with details of its contents. This particular set is housed in a purpose made mahogany case with sliding lid.

Description: Presented in leather-bound faux books, each spine marked Paoletti, each containingplaster cameos with a handwritten description of each with provenance when applicable, comprising: Museo Sommariva; Museo di Firenze; Edifici; Monumenti in vari luoghi; Opera di Thorwaldsen [2]; Uomini Illustri [2]; Museo Capitolino; Museo di Napoli; Opera di Canova; Museo Vaticano. Notes: Making casts from engraved gems, or cameos, was a common practice from ancient times, and was particularly popular among Roman connoisseurs of the 18th century. When such plaster casts became popular souvenirs for Grand Tour travelers in the early 19th century, several shops opened which specialized in them. These souvenir casts not only represented carved gems, but also contemporary and ancient sculptures and monuments, and were often mounted in faux book bindings, as in the present example. The Scotsmen James and William Tassie were among the most prolific casters, as were Bartolomeo Paoletti (1757-1834) and his son, Pietro (1801-1847). The Paoletti firm advertised themselves in Count Hawks Le Grice's guide Walks though the Studii of the Sculptors at Rome (1841) as follows: Paoletti begs to inform the public that he has arranged a collection of impressions (Impronte in Scajola) of many of the works in sculpture executed by distinguished artists ... Although the Impronte are but miniature copies; yet they exhibit all the fidelity and beauty of the original, and convey to the eye a better idea of sculpted works of art than the most finished engravings. The Paolettis, whose studio was located on the Piazza di Spagna in Rome until 1847, enjoyed a stellar reputation, and counted among their clients Catherine the Great of Russia and Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany. The firm continued to do business after the death of Pietro until at least 1865. The present example dates from the lifetime of Bartolomeo, however, as evidenced by the following inscription found in two of the volumes: Si fanno in Roma da Bartolomeo Paoletti, e Pietro figlio, dimoranti di Studio in Piazza di Spagna num° 49. Examples of the Paolettis' casts are conserved in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, and the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut. Provenance: Niall Smith Antiques, New York