England and North-Eastern France, a Two-Way Perspective: The Grand Tour Back

Event Date(s): 27th Sep 2013 - 28th Sep 2013

Location: Metz University 57012

 

Published on: 21st Dec 2012

Numerous studies have looked at the Italian Grand Tour, from the Elizabethan period onward. However, the peregrinations made by English travellers to Alsace, Lorraine and further into the Rhine valley are much less well known, despite a great deal of unexplored material.

Work will begin with, but not be limited to, a study of the travel literature which appeared in England in the 16th, 17th and long 18th centuries, including the follwing texts: Coryat’s Crudities: Hastily Gobled up in Five Moneth’s Travels, Letters from the Right Honorable Lady Craven, Arthur Young’s Travels in France, diaries, personal notes and all types of correspondence. These accounts will help us understand why enlightened, informed and influential travellers were attracted to Alsace and Lorraine, and the impact of their accounts on the evolution of people’s thinking as well as art. the importance of the Reformation, the rpesence of renowned printers in Strasbourg and Basel, the rich heritage of Nancy, Strasbourg and Basel as leading intellectual centres will be considered. 

The purpose of this less conventional Grand Tour along with a diachronic approach,  the idea of passage, psychogeopraphy and geocriticism, material culture will be of interest. More details on http://search.unistra.fr/index.php/fr/colloques/colloques/

Proposals should be submitted by February 28, 2013, with answers by March 31st.