Ariccia, Buildings on the Edge of the Town 1777

Thomas Jones made this watercolor, entitled ‘Ariccia, Buildings on the Edge of the Town’, during his time in Italy, likely in the 1770s. At this time, the Grand Tour was at its peak, an established rite of passage for wealthy Europeans, particularly the British, who sought cultural enrichment through exposure to classical art and architecture. This image exemplifies the picturesque aesthetic, then gaining popularity. The buildings aren't presented as grand monuments but are nestled within a landscape that is both cultivated and wild. Jones emphasizes the way nature and culture intertwine and the viewpoint suggests a journey of discovery, reflecting the tourist experience. Jones’s choice of watercolor, a portable and immediate medium, underscores the transient nature of travel. To gain a deeper understanding of this work, we can explore travelogues and guidebooks that depict the cultural expectations of the Grand Tour. Through those kinds of research materials we see how art is inevitably bound up with the social practices that give it meaning.