"In this book, the first comprehensive history of the collecting of antiquities in Great Britain, Jonathan Scott gives portraits of the principal collectors, describes the mechanics of the art trade, excavation procedures and export regulations, and takes us to the beautiful sculpture galleries that were created for Castle Howard, Holkham, Newby and other imposing country seats. The book also explores the impact of antiquities on contemporary taste and explains why collecting Greek and Roman art fell out of fashion as tastes changed. Generously illustrated with views of the interiors of collectors' houses from the seventeenth century onward, Scott presents in copious detail the story of private British collectors of classical antiquities and the influence of their remarkable collections."--Jacket.