The journey to Rome

To win the Prix de Rome was to step at once through the doors of history. Barely out of adolescence — often around twenty — the laureate left Paris for several years, at the State’s expense. These walks lined with antiques became his school: here one drew, meditated, trained in direct contact with Rome. For many, that journey was the founding experience of an entire artistic life.

A gravel walk between tall hedges and antique statues