Why did eighteenth-century collectors acquire ancient Greek art?
It was a period of renewed interest in classical things. Not only did people collect ancient art, but classical themes appear in a lot of art from the period. Many eighteenth century paintings depict scenes from Greek and Roman mythology. Lanscapes would sometimes include an ancient temple or old ruins. This revival was not limited to art. This is the age of Rousseau and the rebirth of democratic ideals.
