British Museum, London

Charles Townley FRS (1737-1805) was a wealthy English country gentleman, antiquary and collector. He travelled on three Grand Tours to Italy, buying antique sculpture, vases, coins, manuscripts and Old Master drawings and paintings. Many of the most important pieces from his collection, especially the Townley Marbles, are now in the British Museum's Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities. The marbles were overshadowed at the time, and still today, by the Elgin Marbles

Antiquary Antiquities Buying Coins Collector Elgin Especially Manuscripts Marbles Museums Overshadowed Tours Towneley Townley Travelled Vases Wealthy

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