Report of the Committee of the Society of the Dilettanti,

'This report describes the activities of the Society of Dilettanti's second Ionian Mission, 1812-13, organized under the direction of William Gell' (Blackmer).

The Society of Dilettanti, founded in 1734, was a British society of noblemen and scholars that sponsored the study of ancient Greek and Roman art. In 1764 the Society backed a trip to Ionia, the first archaeological trip to Asia Minor sponsored by any British Institution, and carried out the first excavations of the temple of Zeus at Nemea. The men sponsored were Richard Chandler, a classical scholar and inscription expert; Nicholas Revett, the architect from the Athenian expedition; and William Pars, a topographical artist. The findings of the trip were documented in Antiquities of Ionia (1797).

A second expedition to Ionia was sponsored in 1812, with the team headed by topographical artist, William Gell. Their research was recorded in Unedited Antiquities of Attica (1817), of which this current work was a precursor. It contains a general catalogue of drawings, maps, and views made during the expedition, and was produced to appeal for subscriptions to Unedited Antiquities of Attica and further general support.

First and only edition; 4to (27 x 22 cm); Title +18 pp., original brown paper wrappers, stitching removed, upper cover coming loose, small loss to cover corners, subscription slip for Unedited Antiquities of Attica, dated 1816, mounted on upper cover.

Blackmer, 1568.