The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Painting in the Year 1771: P.14993-R

Current Location: In storage

Titles

The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Painting in the Year 1771

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Earlom, Richard
Publisher: Sayer, Robert
Draughtsman: Brandoin, Michel Vincent (After)

Entities

Description

After the pen and watercolour drawing by Michel Vincent Brandoin (1733-1807), (1771; The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, Sir Bruce Ingram Collection, 63.52.23). The top-lit gallery of the third Royal Academy Summer exhibition, the walls crowded with paintings, including James Barry's The Temptation of Adam (National Gallery of Ireland), which is flanked by two full-length portraits by Thomas Gainsborough, Mr Nuthall and Captain Wade. The satirical elements of the design include the flirtatiousness of the couple in the foreground mimicking the 'temptation' of Barry's painting and the boredom of the child who has fallen asleep on the bench at the centre. The male figure seen at centre right, who has a squint and wears a cocked hat, has been identified as the radical politician, John Wilkes, MP for Middlesex (1725-1797).

Legal notes

Bequeathed by Charles Brinsley Marlay, 1912

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1912) by Marlay, Charles Brinsley

Dating

18th Century#
Production date: 1772-05-20 AD 1772

Note

Mezzotint, printed in black ink. As published. Engraved within the inscription space over mezzotint ground, at lower left: 'Charles Brandoin inv.t et delin', at lower centre: 'R. Sayer Excudit', at lower right: 'Rich.d Earlom fecit'. The title below engraved in closed, roman letters: 'The EXHIBITION of the ROYAL ACADEMY of PAINTING in the YEAR 1771 / From an Original Drawing in the Possession of Rob.t Sayer'. Publication information at lower left and right: 'London. Printed for Rob.t Sayer No 53 Fleet Street ... 'Published as the Act directs 20 May 1772 [some letters partially burnished]'. Inscribed reference to Chaloner Smith in the margin at lower right: 'J.C.S. 44 I' [erroneous, as this is JCS.II] . Inscribed in graphite on the verso: 'CBM / duplicate'. The Fitzwilliam Museum also has an impression of JCS.I (before title and with the earlier publication date of May 15) which is part of the Founder's collection (see annotation in Wessely (Earlom), 101, p.42). The British Museum has a proof impression before all letters (1902,1011.901) and a proof before title and earlier publication date of May 15 (1868,0808.2639). Brandoin's drawing represents the first known depiction of the Royal Academy Summer exhibition. The exhibition held in 1771 was the third since founding of the institution in 1768 when it was still based at 125 Pall Mall, a set of auctioneer's rooms, prior to its move in 1780 to purpose-built rooms at Somerset House. Sayer published many of Brandoin's satirical drawings and is thought to have commissioned the drawing of the Royal Academy exhibition from the artist, holding back the publication of Earlom's print until the next exhibition in 1772 to maximise sales.

School or Style

British

Techniques used in production

Mezzotint

Identification numbers

Accession number: P.14993-R
Primary reference Number: 240040
Wessely (Earlom): 101.II
Nagler (Künstler-Lexicon): 4.75 (p.54)
BM Satires: 5089
Chaloner Smith: 44 (p.259; also addenda 44, ref p.259 as II/III)
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