Royal Academy Exhibition of 1792

The Royal Academy Exhibition of 1792 was the twenty forth annual Summer Exhibition of the British Royal Academy of Arts. It was held at Somerset House in London between 30 April and 9 June 1792.[1] It was the first to be held following the death of Sir Joshua Reynolds, who had served as President of the Royal Academy since its foundation in 1768 and one of the driving forces of British art during his lifetime. Nonetheless, it was considered as showing the continued strength of the institution with growing numbers of submissions and financial earnings.[2]

Exhibits

Reynolds was succeeded as President by the Pennsylvania-born artist Benjamin West best known for his neoclassical history paintings, who decisively defeated his fellow American by twenty nine votes to one in the election.[3] West displayed two paintings Edward III Crossing the Somme and The Institution of the Order of the Garter he had produced for Windsor Castle celebrating the reign of Edward III.[4][5]

The young Bristol-born artist Thomas Lawrence continued his rise with a series of portrait paintings. These included pictures featuring George III in his ceremonial robes and Lady Hamilton as La Penserosa.[6] Another work by Lawrence Arthur Atherley as an Etonian has subsequently attracted attention.[7] Other Lawrence submissions included pictures of Lady Charlotte Greville and Georgiana, Lady Apsley[8]. John Hoppner featured portraits of the Duke of York and the Duchess of York, who had married the previous year in a diplomatic match between Britain and Prussia. He also produced a portrait of York's elder brother and heir to the throne George, Prince of Wales now in the Wallace Collection.[9]

Francis Wheatley displayed several entries in his Cries of London series featuring everyday life in the capital. George Morland exhibited the genre painting The Benevolent Sportsman.[10]

References

  1. ^ https://chronicle250.com/1792#catalogue
  2. ^ McIntyre p.537-38
  3. ^ McIntyre p.537-38
  4. ^ https://www.rct.uk/collection/404566/edward-iii-crossing-the-somme
  5. ^ https://www.rct.uk/collection/407521/the-institution-of-the-order-of-the-garter
  6. ^ Art on the Line p.28
  7. ^ Wright p.86-91
  8. ^ Levey, Michael. Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1979 p.28-31
  9. ^ https://wallacelive.wallacecollection.org/eMP/eMuseumPlus?service=ExternalInterface&module=collection&objectId=65497&viewType=detailView
  10. ^ Art on the Line p.159

Bibliography

  • Levey, Michael. Sir Thomas Lawrence. Yale University Press, 2005.
  • McIntyre, Ian. Joshua Reynolds: The Life and Times of the First President of the Royal Academy. Allen Lane, 2003.
  • Solkin, David H. (ed.) Art on the Line: The Royal Academy Exhibitions at Somerset House, 1780-1836. Courthald Gallery, 2001.
  • Wright, Amina. Thomas Lawrence: Coming of Age. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020.
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