July 1–September 27, 1996
East Building, Ground Floor, Study Center

This exhibition is no longer on view at the National Gallery of Art.

Overview: Travel literature and city guides pertaining to the Italian peninsula published from the late 17th to the early 19th century provide a window into the life of artists during this period. Whether giving a first person account of his or her journey, supplying the illustrations for guidebooks, surveying the local architecture, or studying sites from antiquity, we get a sense of the priorities and commissions available to artists through these books.

Organization: The exhibition was organized by the National Gallery of Art. Neal Turtell, executive librarian was curator.