白金汉宫16

In George III's day, this was the place to come if you wanted the best of art, and at a good price. When George III was still a boy, Venice was one of Europe's most romantic destinations, home of art and culture. It was a key stop on what was known as the Grand Tour, when the British aristocracy would travel around the cities of Europe to see great architecture and great paintings. Though, like some British tourists today, they often broadened their horizons in rather less noble ways. Venice was renowned for its ladies of easy virtue, and many a cultural traveller was distracted by the fleshy delights of Venetian parties. But by the 1760s, when George III was moving into Buckingham House, Venice was in the doldrums. Trade and banking were depressed, visitor numbers down. The great patrons of Venice were in need of money, a perfect time for any British collector to pick up some art on the cheap.

在乔治三世时代，如果你想学习最好的艺术，或者你的作品卖个好价钱这里是必到之处。 乔治还是个孩子的时候，威尼斯就已经是欧洲最浪漫的城市之一，也是艺术和文化的大本营。那时英国贵族会到欧洲各地游学，学习建筑和绘画。威尼斯就是最重要的一站，跟今天英国的旅行者一样。他们会以非贵族的方式来拓展自己的眼界。 威尼斯女性的放荡是出了名的，很多文化旅行者都被肉体的愉悦所吸引来到威尼斯。但到1760年代，乔治三世搬入白金汉宫时，威尼斯已经没落了。贸易和银行业萧条，游客数量减少。