1. The Royal Academy at Somerset House, 1780-1834

2. Petition to King George III, for the foundation of a Royal Academy of Art (1767)
We, your Majesty’s most faithful subjects, Painters, Sculptors, and Architects of this metropolis, being desirous of establishing a Society for promoting the Arts of Design,
and sensible how ineffectual every establishment of that nature must be without the Royal influence, most humbly beg leave to solicit your Majesty’s gracious assistance, patronage, and protection, in carrying this plan to execution. […]
The two principal objects we have in view are, the establishing a well-regulated School or Academy of Design, open to all artists of distinguished merit, where they may offer their performance to public inspection. […]
We apprehend that the profits arising from the last of these institutions will fully answer all the expenses of the first; we even flatter ourselves they will be more than necessary for that purpose, and that we shall be enabled annually to distribute somewhat in useful charities.

3. The regular progress of cultivated life is from necessaries to accommodations, from accommodations to ornaments. By your illustrious predecessors were established marts for manufactures, and colleges for science; but for the arts of elegance, those arts by which manufactures are embellished and science is refined, to found an academy was reserved for your Majesty.
Joshua Reynolds, Discourses, ‘Dedication to George III, 1769

4. How many men of great natural abilities have been lost to this nation for want of these advantages? They never had an opportunity of seeing those masterly efforts of genius which at once kindle the whole soul, and force it into sudden and irresistible approbation. […] Every seminary of learning may be said to be surrounded with an atmosphere of floating knowledge, where every mind may imbibe somewhat congenial to its own original conceptions. […] One advantage, I will venture to affirm, we shall have in our academy, which no other nation can boast. We shall have nothing to unlearn.
Joshua Reynolds, Discourse 1, 1769

5. Sir Joshua Reynolds,
Portrait of Sir William Chambers, 1780
Sir Joshua Reynolds,
Self-Portrait, ca.1780

15. Johann Zoffany (1733/4-1810)
The Academicians of the Royal Academy,

23. Sir Joshua Reynolds,
Theory (1780)
THEORY is the knowledge of what is truly NATURE.

25. Angelica Kauffmann, Colour, 1778-1780

26. Angelica Kauffmann, Composition, 1778-1780

27. Angelica Kauffmann, Design, 1778-1780

28. Angelica Kauffmann, Invention, 1778-1780