Richard Lassels
Encyclopedia
Richard Lassels (–1668) was a Roman Catholic priest
and a travel writer. Lassels was a tutor to several of the English
nobility
, and traveled through Italy
five times. He is best known for his work, Voyage or a Complete Journey through Italy, published in Paris
in 1670. In his book, he asserts that any truly serious student of architecture, antiquity, and the arts must travel through France
and Italy, and suggested that all "young lords" make what he referred to as the Grand Tour
in order to understand the political, social, and economic realities of the world.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and a travel writer. Lassels was a tutor to several of the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, and traveled through Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
five times. He is best known for his work, Voyage or a Complete Journey through Italy, published in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1670. In his book, he asserts that any truly serious student of architecture, antiquity, and the arts must travel through France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Italy, and suggested that all "young lords" make what he referred to as the Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
in order to understand the political, social, and economic realities of the world.