Week 3: Growing up as a Traveler

Day 1: Soane Museum

Architect John Soane knew what it was like to be a traveler and go on the grand tour. However, his drawings and possessions he brought back had been lost forever. Since then, John began collecting priceless artifacts from all across the eastern hemisphere until his death. 

 He also purchased vast amounts of paintings. These combined with floors of jam-packed ancient art, John was able to bring the grand tour to his students so that they too could get a taste of what it is like to be a world traveler. 

Day 2: The National Gallery

Canaletto's A Regatta on the Grand Canal.  Canaletto's work was featured a lot this week because of his ability to portray Venice's beauty to his English audience. The reason why we saw so much of his work is because Canaletto's work helped prepare those who were about to embark on the tour as well as give a taste to those back in England who were less fortunate.

Canaletto's Venice: The Gran Canal with St. Simeone Piccolo. This picture above depicts a more quiet side of Venice while still being focused on the Grand Canal. This was a view that only England's most respected and wealthy would have seen in person. 

Day 3: Tate Britain 

JMW Turner's Rome from the Vatican. Raffaelle, Accompanied by La Fornarina, Preparing his Pictures for the Decoration of the Loggia. We returned to the Tate in search of JMW Turner's collection. He too participated on the grand tour and wanted to show his viewers back home what exactly it is like being in a place so beautiful. This scene above from the Vatican mashes time periods together in tribute to the great artist Raffaelle.  

JMW Turner's St. Benedetto, Looking towards Fusina. What many consider a leading member of the impressionist movement, Turner too captures the beauty of Venice in his own way.

This past week we read A Room With A View, a novel about changing views of society and also gaining an appreciation for your new surroundings. As I continue to walk the streets and move around London, I am noticing my ability to find beauty in not the touristy parts but the older and lesser know parts of London. Like the main character in the novel Lucy, I too am shedding my  title of a tourist and growing up and becoming a traveler.