ICAA
About ICAA Contact Resources Professional Directory Search Sponsorship Press Privacy Policy
  • Education
    • Continuing Education
    • Summer Studio
    • Professional Intensives
    • University Workshops
    • Drawing Tours
    • Youth Programming
    • The Bunny Mellon Curricula
    • The Architecture of Place
    • Certificate in Classical Architecture
    • Plaster Cast Collection
  • Articles
    • All Articles
    • ICAA News
    • Press
  • Videos
    • Awards & Prizes
    • Documentary Films
    • Miniseries
    • CE Courses & Educational Films
    • Lectures & Public Programs
    • ICAA Voices & Stories
  • Calendar
  • Travel
  • Honors
    • National Awards
    • Regional Awards
    • Prizes
    • Scholarships
  • Books
    • The Classicist
    • Classical America Series
    • ICAA Library
    • Digital Rare Books Archive
  • Chapters
  • Membership Donate

    Abraham Thomas brought "the Grand(er) Tour" to the ICAA

    By Maxwell Wimmer

    April 27, 2016

    Drawing from the Alhambra Palace, Owen Jones (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

    On Monday, April 11th, the ICAA was proud to present a lecture in partnership with the Royal Oak Foundation entitled The Grand(er) Tour: Architectural Imagination Beyond the Classical World. Abraham Thomas, formerly the lead architectural curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum and Director of Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, spoke to a number of trends in international travel that impacted the architecture of the 19th century and beyond.

    The focus of Mr. Thomas’ discussion was the Grand Tour, a European tradition that was undertaken by young scholars, the noble gentry and artists who desired to tap into the inspiration of the sites across Europe that had shaped the arts and culture of their times. These works ranged in date from antiquity through the Renaissance. Common tours would include time spent travelling to modern-day wonders like Greek and Roman temples, venturing over Alps and across channels, or communing with locals of the resident high society.

    “Temple at Barolli", lithograph from a sketch by James Fergusson (Source: British Library)

    Mr. Thomas spoke at length on a number of the architects that completed Grand Tours, and how these traditional voyages were changed when young architects began to travel further, visiting areas including India, Egypt, the Middle East and Japan which influenced the styles of both their work and the work of future generations. By highlighting numerous drawings, photographs and other works from the Royal Institute of British Architects, Mr. Thomas shed light on the influence that these novel designs and types of buildings must have had on young architects of European training.

    buy ball dresses NZ Abraham Thomas speaks in the General Society's reading room

    According to Mr. Thomas, it was this spirit of exploration and the embrace of other cultures that led us to our current architectural atmosphere. The vast array of styles and designs in use today can be seen in the range of Mr. Thomas’ own work, which has included curating exhibitions from 19th century drawings to some of today’s most modern and provocative designers such as Thomas Heatherwick. His focus has ranged from the local to the global, and the modern to the classical.

    Share:

    Related Articles

    Peter Hodson: 1943-2021

    August 24, 2021

    Michael Mesko brings classical orders to contemporary application

    June 1, 2016

    An Evening with Margot Ellis and the "Americans in Paris"

    May 5, 2016

    RECENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT THE ICAA

    April 25, 2016

    The Architecture of New York

    April 19, 2016

    By Maxwell Wimmer

    April 27, 2016

    Related Articles

    Peter Hodson: 1943-2021

    August 24, 2021

    Michael Mesko brings classical orders to contemporary application

    June 1, 2016

    An Evening with Margot Ellis and the "Americans in Paris"

    May 5, 2016

    RECENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT THE ICAA

    April 25, 2016

    The Architecture of New York

    April 19, 2016

    Sign up to receive information and announcements about upcoming programming, awards, and more.

    Thank you for subscribing to the ICAA's newsletter.

    Please enter a valid email address.

    By sharing your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
    • Education
    • Articles
    • Calendar
    • Travel
    • Honors
    • Books
    • Online Education
    • Resources
    • Professional Directory
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • Chapters
    • About ICAA
    • Contact
    • Sponsorship
    • Press
    © 2023 Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. All rights reserved. 20 West 44th Street, Suite 310, New York, NY 10036
    Terms of Use Privacy Policy