Society of Dilettanti

Society of Dilettanti

The Society of Dilettanti , also Dilettanti Society or Dilettanti for short (German: Society of Dilettantes from it .: dilettare, 'inspire / delight jmd') is a British association of collectors, scholars and nobles . The association combines festivities with an enthusiastic study of Greek and Roman antiquity.

history

The first meeting of young wealthy English gentlemen took place in 1732; 1734 she became participants of a Grand Tour as London Dining society ( Tischgesellschaft founded) formal.

The group was initially chaired by Francis Dashwood . Members included a number of dukes and famous personalities such as Joshua Reynolds , David Garrick , Uvedale Price and Richard Payne Knight .

Primarily, the members familiarized themselves with the art of antiquity through the educational trips that have been obligatory in the circles of wealthy young men since the beginning of the century. While it remained largely with the amorous enjoyment and was the primary goal of the society, so conviviality and entertainment, the group showed a high level of commitment in the field of art promotion. The society financed a number of art expeditions to Greece and sponsored the founding of the Royal Society .

The financial basis was created from donations from the members in order to primarily support archaeological expeditions.

In addition, artists were promoted who worked in an antique style. George Knapton was the first artist to receive financial support.

The Society of Dilettanti also sponsored Italian opera from around 1740 . In building the Royal Academy of Arts , she was one of the main sponsors and Joshua Reynolds was one of its founding members. In 1775 the club had raised enough money to set up a fund to support student trips to Rome and Greece. Expeditions like those of Richard Chandler , William Pars and Nicholas Revett , the results of which they published in Ionian Antiquities magazine, had a major impact on neoclassicism in Britain.

The 60 members are determined in accordance with the statutes in secret elections and introduced in a solemn ceremony. The event takes place in changing London clubs. Today, the firm essentially supports the English schools in Rome and Athens with annual donations. An independent fund has been helping financially with visits to classic sites and museums since 1984.

Known members

Sir Joseph Banks, painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds , the engraving is by William Dickinson (1746–1823)

Bourchier Wray by George Knapton

• Thomas Anson (founding member)
• Right Honorable Sir Joseph Banks
• Charles Crowle , Esq.
• Henry Dawkins of Standlynch Hall, Wiltshire
• Francis Dashwood, 15th Baron le Despencer (founding member)
• Lord Dundas
• Payn Galway , Esq.
• David Garrick (actor) (1717–1779)
• Charles Gore Esq. (1729–1807)
• Sir James Gray, 2nd Baronet (founding member)
• Sir George Gray, 3rd Baronet (founding member)
• The Honorable Charles Francis Greville
• Sir William Hamilton (diplomat)
• Richard Payne Knight (since 1781)
• Duke of Leeds
• Constantin John Lord Murlgrave
• Uvedale Price
• Sir Joshua Reynolds (since 1766)
• Lord Seaforth
• Spencer Stanhope , Esq.
• Sir John Taylor (Jamaica)
• Richard Thompson (1745-1820) , Arch Master of the Society of Dilettanti
• Sir Anthony R Wagner , Garter Principal King of Arms
• William Wilkins
• Charles Watkin Williams-Wynn (the elder)
• Sir Charles Watkin Williams-Wynn (the younger)
• Charles Towneley , antiquarian and collector
• George Thomas Staunton (member from 1829 to 1856)

Trivia

Horace Walpole was critical of the Society and ruled in 1743: It was “[…] a club with two requirements, on the one hand having been in Italy and on the other hand being drunk: the two chiefs are Lord Middlesex and Sir Francis Dashwood , who are in the were seldom sober throughout Italy ”.

The society's toast was: Long live virtue and beautiful women, it shines brightly, it lasts forever - Greek taste and Roman the spirit - serious game.

literature

• Lionel Cust, Sir Sidney Colvin: History of the Society of Dilettanti. Macmillan, London 1898.
• Sir Cecil Harcourt-Smith, George Augustin Macmillan: The Society of Dilettanti: Its Regalia and Pictures. Macmillan, London 1932.
• Jason M. Kelly: The Society of Dilettanti: Archeology and Identity in the British Enlightenment. Yale University Press / the Paul Mellon Center for Studies in British Art, New Haven / London 2009.
• Bruce Redford: Dilettanti: The Antic and the Antique in Eighteenth-century England. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles 2008.
• Robin Simon: Reynolds and the Double-entender: the Society of Dilettanti Portraits. In: The British Art Journal. 3, no. 1, 2001, pp. 69-77.
• Shearer West: Libertinism and the Ideology of Male Friendship in the Portraits of the Society of Dilettanti. In: Eighteenth Century Life. 16, 1992, pp. 76-104.
• Juliet Gardiner (Ed.): The Penguin Dictionary of British and Irish History. (This article contains text from: James Northcote: The Life of Sir Joshua Reynolds . Vol. 2, 1819)
• Helmut Blazek: Men's associations: a story of fascination and power. Ch. Links Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3-86153-177-1 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Helmut Blazek: Men 's associations: a story of fascination and power. 1999, p. 90.
2. ↑ Helmut Blazek: Men 's associations: a story of fascination and power. 1999, p. 91.
3. ^ Grecian Taste and Roman Spirit: The Society of Dilettanti. In: Getty Villa Exhibitions. J. Paul Getty Trust, 2008, accessed November 28, 2010 . 
4. ↑ Horace Walpole, quoted in Jeremy Black: The British and the Grand Tours. 198, p. 120.
5. ↑ Helmut Blazek: Men 's associations: a story of fascination and power. 1999, p. 90.

Web links

• Richard Dorment: The Dilettanti: exclusive society that celebrates art. In: Daily Telegraph. Sept 2, 2008.
• David Cast: Bruce Redford: Dilettanti: The Antic and the Antique in Eighteenth-Century England. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum 2008, ISBN 978-0-89236-924-9 , review. In: Bryn Mawr Classical Review.