Grand Tour Intaglios Medallions

Grand Tour Cameos Intaglio date back to the 18th and 19th century – before photography, when they were introduced for wealthy travelers to collect as keepsakes – in much the same way as we collect souvenirs from our travels, today.

Popular in the neoclassical period, and once regarded as a signal of wealth, Intaglios have been admired for hundred of years. Original collections now sell for many thousands of pounds at Bonhams and other auction houses. But our reproduction versions can give your home the same elegant look for a fraction of the cost.

The Grand Tour Intaglios – specifically, are named after a long tour through Switzerland, Italy and France, which was undertaken by educated scholars and well-to-do Gentleman in the 17th, 18th and 19th Century. Grand Tour Intaglios were their version of the modern-day postcard, so they could take a little representation of each of the countries they visited during their tour.

Intaglios were also used by similarly wealthy aristocrats to seal important letters and documents. We have included framed nautical Intaglios seals, Intaglios medallion seals and Grand Tour Intaglios seals in our exclusive online collection.

Kevin McCloud, of Grand Designs fame, made a documentary series – for Channel 4 – entitled Kevin McCloud’s Grand Tour of Europe, in which he explored the history and cultural significance of this gap-year style tour that was taken by many notable artists, architects and aristocrats.

We’re extremely passionate about our range of Grand Tour Intaglios, which are all hand-cut and carved by our skilled craftsmen at our workshop in Devon, and reproduced from original plaster miniatures. They are available in a variety of different shapes, sizes and designs – including ancient Greek and Roman deities, architectural detail and mythological figures. And you can choose to order them individually, in loose collections, or framed – as they would have been in aristocratic Gentleman’s homes in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Please browse our Grand Tour Intaglios Medallions gallery for more.