Celebrated as the centre of classical and modern European civilisation, Italy held many attractions for eighteenth-century Scots. Artists and architects came to study its matchless heritage. Wealthy aristocrats refined their minds and manners in a world of glamour and learning.

A motley crowd of adventurers and loyalists pinned their hopes on the exiled Stuart court. Dealers and entrepreneurs, meanwhile, exploited a seemingly endless supply of artistic treasures.

Featuring stunning artworks from across the National Galleries of Scotland, this exhibition explores the Scottish experience of Italy in the eighteenth-century, the period when fascination with the country reached its height.