London: The Royal Academy of Arts
The Royal Academy, Burlington House, London
The Royal Academy of Arts in Piccadilly, central London is one of Britain's premier art institutions.
Housed in the magnificent Burlington House, the Royal Academy (RA) was founded in 1768.
Dedicated to the visual arts, the Royal Academy was the brainchild of sculptor Henry Cheere (1703-1781).
As well as displays of both modern and classical art, the Royal Academy holds regular lectures and debates on art, architecture and design.
Its temporary and summer exhibitions of mainly contemporary art draw thousands of visitors. One of the most famous and controversial was "Sensation" back in 1997 showcasing the art of Young British Artists owned by Charles Saatchi.
History
The Royal Academy grew out of the earlier Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, now the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA). The prime movers were sculptor Henry Cheere and artist William Hogarth. King George III personally founded the academy to encourage the arts and arts students and to hold an annual exhibition.
The painter Joshua Reynolds was the RA's first president and the first members including architects and artists in various fields from both Britain and overseas.
The RA began life in Pall Mall before moving to Somerset House and the east wing of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square before finally finding a permanent home in Burlington House in 1868.
The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition was first staged in 1769 and has been held annually without fail to the present day.
As well as the RA, the former Palladian mansion of Burlington House, once owned by the Earls of Burlington, is also now home to the Royal Astronomical Society, the Geological Society of London, the Linnean Society of London, the Society of Antiquaries of London and the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Collection
The permanent collection consists of architectural designs, drawings, paintings, photographs, and sculpture by past and present Academicians.
The work of such artists and architects as John Constable, Norman Foster, Thomas Gainsborough, David Hockney, Joshua Reynolds, and J. M. W. Turner is represented.
These are displayed in the the John Madejski Fine Rooms.
In the Collection Gallery are some superb casts of statues from antiquity including a Cast of the Farnese Hercules (1790) and Cast of Laocoön and his Sons, probably made in the early 19th century.
The walls and ceiling of Burlington House are also decorated with art works by American artist Benjamin West (1738-1820) and the Swiss painter Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807).
The rooms of Burlington House including the cafe/restaurant are also incredibly beautiful spaces in themselves.
Highlights
Highlights of the RA's collection include Michelangelo's Taddei Tondo (1504-05) a circular marble relief (tondo) depicting the Madonna and Child and the infant Saint John the Baptist.
The noted self-portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds was one of the first pieces donated and all members are now required to donate one piece - a so-called "Diploma Work".
There are now over a thousand of such pieces in the fields of both painting and sculpture.
The annual Summer Exhibition and regular temporary exhibitions remain the main highlights of the year. Both attract thousands of visitors from Britain and overseas.
Access - how to get to the Royal Academy of Arts
The Royal Academy of Arts
Burlington House
Piccadilly
London, W1J 0BD
Tel: 0207 300 8090
www: royalacademy.org.uk
The nearest tube stations are Piccadilly (Piccadilly Line & Bakerloo Line) and Green Park (Victoria Line, Piccadilly Line and Jubilee Line). Green Park is the nearest and less than 5 minutes away on foot.
London buses 6, 9, 14, 19, and 38 all stop outside the RA.
There are several fine London pubs nearby including The Clarence, an 18th-century pub on Dover Street, and the Chequers Tavern on Duke Street near St James's Square.
Nearby
Located in central London, on Piccadilly, the Royal Academy is close to several other places of interest.
Burlington Arcade, a luxury shopping arcade is next door and across the street is Fortnum & Mason, one of London's most famous department stores. Piccadilly Circus is opposite the tube station and also nearby are Christopher Wren's St James's Church and the iconic Ritz Hotel.
There are some very exclusive London hotels in the area including Brown's Hotel, Hotel Café Royal and Hotel Sofitel London St James.
See a listing of London hotels near Piccadilly in this area of the city.
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