During the 18th and 19th centuries, the so-called Grand Tour became a rite of passage for the British aristocracy, who travelled extensively across France, Switzerland, and Italy. Accompanying them on these journeys were artists tasked with documenting the landscapes and scenes they encountered, often through painting. These travels proved transformative for British art, as curator David Blayney Brown from London – responsible for the selection of works at Villa Vauban – explains.
The art created en route was brought back to Britain, fuelling a burgeoning fascination with foreign landscapes, nature, and new destinations among collectors and fellow artists alike. This newfound interest was not limited to continental scenes but also sparked a deeper appreciation of Britain’s own countryside.
The works on display are predominantly small-scale, a practical choice for artists travelling with limited supplies. Many switched from traditional oil paints to gouache or watercolour, which are more suited to portable sketchbooks and quick studies. Often, sketches would be started on location and then finished later in a hotel room or back in Britain.
This approach led to a marked shift in artistic identity and style. Brown explains that this experience allowed artists to develop their own distinctive ways of painting, going beyond simple stylistic differences to "something deeply personal and individual".
Among the prominent artists of the era featured in the exhibition are Richard Wilson, John Robert Cozens, and William Turner. Several works from their European travels are on view. One of the exhibition’s aims is to reconnect these paintings with the very places they depict. Luxembourg, a frequent stopover on the route to Italy, makes a notable appearance; William Turner himself visited the Grand Duchy twice.
Turner produced an entire series of gouache paintings inspired by Luxembourg, often painted on blue paper, which provided a striking backdrop for the vivid colours he employed. Brown suggests that Turner might actually have intensified the colours of Luxembourg, unless he enjoyed extraordinarily good weather, because his pictures show very vibrant colours, which are intensified by the blue paper he used.
The exhibition “Grand Tourists to Turner” remains open at Villa Vauban until 11 October.
