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The Royal Academy of Art (RA),
Britain's first art school, is located in the splendid Burlington
House, Piccadilly.
The society was founded in 1768
under George III to promote Fine Arts, with Joshua Reynolds
as its first President.
Originally based in Pall
Mall, the RA moved into purpose-built premises
at Somerset
House in 1780. It was here that the RA held
the country's first annual open exhibition for living artists,
in the over-crowded Great Room on the top floor.
In 1868 the RA moved to its
present headquarters in Burlington House, one of the few surviving
early-18th century mansions in London's West End.
Burlington House was extensively
remodelled from 1868 by Sydney Smirke RA, who added 12 exhibition
galleries, a lecture room and studios.
In 1983 an ambitious redevelopment
programme was begun, including the restoration of Smirke's
suite of galleries. The top-lit Sackler Wing was created
in 1991, from the former diploma galleries, by the designer
Norman Foster.
In 2001 the RA purchased 6 Burlington
Gardens, once the garden to Burlington House and most recently
home of the Museum of Mankind. Architect Michael Hopkins
has been commissioned to design a building that will join
the two historic sites.
The new building, containing
more galleries and extra premises for the Royal Society of
Art, is part of a grand project due for completion in 2007.
The temporary shows held
throughout the year at the RA are the most visited of any
London exhibition.
The most popular exhibitions
have timed tickets, which must be purchased in advance.
Usually two exhibitions run concurrently, one in the main
exhibition space and one in the Sackler Galleries.
The RA's famous 'Summer Exhibition'
exhibits around 1,200 new works by both established and unknown
artists, sculptors and architects (any artist, regardless
of background, may submit work). The Summer Exhibition attracts
vast numbers of visitors and the courtyard outside Burlington
House is often crammed with people waiting to get inside.
The courtyard, now repaved and car-free, is often used to
display sculpture.
Permanent pieces of sculpture
can be seen outside the galleries, notably Michelangelo's
relief of the 'Taddie Tondo' (1502).
The RA's fine permanent collection,
not all on display, includes one piece of work by each of
the current and former Academicians. Highlights include
Constable's 'The Leaping Horse', Gainsborough's 'A Romantic
Landscape', Stanley Spencer's 'A Farm Gate' and David Hockney's
'Grand Canyon'.
Free lunch-time tours of the
Fine Rooms and a selection from the Academy Collections.
Archive and library may be visited by appointment.
Items on sale in the shop on
the first floor include cards and other items designed
for the RA by Academy members.
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