Early Victorian agate plaque brooch
Early Victorian agate plaque brooch
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An early Victorian Grand Tour agate plaque brooch in a silver and gold frame, circa 1840.
The Victorian Grand Tour evolved from an aristocratic rite of passage into a more accessible cultural journey, thanks to expanding rail networks and steamship travel.
While earlier tours focused on classical education in Italy and France, Victorian travellers broadened their itineraries to include Germany, Switzerland, and even the Near East. Guidebooks like those by Baedeker shaped expectations, emphasising art, architecture, and moral improvement.
Middle-class participation grew, transforming the tour into a marker of refinement rather than noble privilege. Despite its widening audience, the Victorian Grand Tour still celebrated the ideals of self-cultivation, aesthetic appreciation, and cosmopolitan experience.
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