Dilettanti - The Antic and the Antique in Eighteenth-Century England

With elegance and wit, this volume recreates the vibrant culture of connoisseurship in Enlightenment England by investigating the multifaceted activities and achievements of the Society of Dilettanti - a group founded in 1732 devoted to the study, and support of those studying, Greco-Roman antiquity."Dilettanti" is a superbly illustrated volume that examines its members, and their expeditions, collections, and publications - which laid the groundwork for the Neo-Classical revival. It also shows how they were able to successfully combine the didactic - detailed investigations into technique, condition, restoration and provenance - with the ability to bring illustrations of ancient sculpture to new artistic heights.