The Collecting Habits on an Eighteenth-Century Englishman of Discernment: Charles Rogers, FRS, FRA (1711-1784)

Abstract

Abstract The Collecting Habits of an Eighteenth-Century Englishman of Discernment: Charles Rogers FRS, FSA (1711-1784) Nicola Frances WakehamThis project aims to establish the largely forgotten collector, Charles Rogers FRS FSA (1711-1784), and his collection of prints and drawings, within the vibrant cultural and intellectual milieu of the eighteenth-century art world. Structured around three interrelated strands: Rogers’ role as a connoisseur in the eighteenth-century art world, the scope and significance of the collection itself, and his contribution to early art historical writing, the study offers a multifaceted reassessment of Rogers' place in art history.The first strand explores Rogers as an knowledgeable and engaged connoisseur, participating actively in the intellectual and antiquarian networks of his time through his affiliation with the Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Society. This dimension of Rogers’ activity has remained underexplored in existing scholarship. His extensive and unpublished correspondence with leading collectors and scholars of the period reveals the dynamic international networks underpinning collecting practices, helping to deepen our understanding of how knowledge, taste, and objects circulated during this period.The second strand investigates the development and composition of the Cottonian Collection, which, under Rogers' curatorship, grew to encompass approximately 20,000 prints and 2,000 drawings, many acquired through notable and well-documented European collections. Drawing on archival materials held at The Box, Plymouth, this research elucidates Rogers’ collecting strategies and the broader market dynamics in which he operated. In doing so, it contributes to a deeper understanding of the trans-European art trade and the evolving structures of acquisition and connoisseurship in the eighteenth century.The final strand offers a critical reassessment of Rogers’ 1778 publication, A Collection of Prints in Imitation of Drawings, a work that has received scant scholarly attention despite its contemporary acclaim. Through close analysis, this study positions the publication as a pivotal, though underexplored, contribution to the emerging genre of connoisseurial art historical writing, illustrating how collectors shaped not only the material culture of their time but also the intellectual frameworks used to interpret it.Together, these strands bring Charles Rogers into sharper historical focus, establishing his significance as a connoisseur, collector, and author. The project’s central thesis is that Rogers’ activities and networks illuminate broader transformations in eighteenth-century collecting culture and the development of art historical discourse. By bringing these elements together, this research contributes new knowledge to the history of connoisseurship and underscores the cultural agency of collectors in shaping both artistic heritage and intellectual history.

Awarding Institution(s)

University of Plymouth

Supervisor

Péter Bokody, Jenny Graham

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

2025

Embargo Period

2026-11-06

Deposit Date

November 2025

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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This item is under embargo until 06 November 2026

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