The Royal West of England Academy
Other names: Bristol Academy for the Promotion of Fine Arts (1844)
Foundation date: 1844
Active: 1844 -
Function: Art society and art school
History or description: 'In the early nineteenth century a group of artists in Bristol formed an association known as the Bristol Society of Artists, these were mostly landscape painters and many were well known such as William Muller, Francis Danby, J.B. Pyne and John Syer. In 1844, when the Bristol Academy for the Promotion of Fine Arts was founded, the Bristol Society of Artists was incorporated into it. At this time the President and committee was predominantly its patrons, rather than its artists.
Ellen Sharples, was an artist associated with this group and a member of a portrait painting family, who spent considerable time in America. When she died in 1849 she left £2,000 to the Bristol Academy for the Promotion of Fine Arts. This sum, together with an earlier gift from her and money raised by other supporters, enabled the erection of a fine building in 1858 - Bristol's first Art Gallery. Early patrons included Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the Prince Consort.
In 1875 a considerable collection of Turner watercolours were exhibited attracting over 15,000 visitors.
A school of art was established in 1853, known as the Bristol School of Practical Art supported by artist members and studio space was later provided by the Academy. From 1936 to 1969 it was known as the West of England College of Art. Since then a school of art has always occupied part of the Academy premises. Education continues to be important at the RWA.
The RWA School of Architecture was officially opened in 1921 by HRH Prince of Wales, it was later taken over by the University of Bristol in 1963 and closed in 1983.
In 1914 a major extension to the front of the building, including the dome and Walter Crane lunettes, was completed and in 1915 King George V granted the Academy its Royal title, with the reigning monarch as its Patron."
For further details see http://www.rwa.org.uk/histfrm.htm (accessed 9 December 2009)
No sculpture was exhibited at the following annual exhibitions:
1852, 1854, 1858, 1860-1865, 1867, 1880, 1882, 1885-1886, 1890, 1893-1896, 1898 and 1900 (catalogues not included.).
Some exhibition catalogues are missing from the Academy's collection:
1855, 1856, 1857, 1868-1874, 1879, 1905-1906, 1909, 1911-1912, 1914, 1939-1945 (During the Second World War all activities were suspended).
Activities: art classes, art union, circulation of competition details, classes, conversazione, criticism of works, discussions, discussions on art, exhibitions (open to non-members), exhibitions (members only), lectures, meetings, social events, social meetings, soirees
Publications: exhibition catalogues, illustrated exhibition catalogues, postcards
Exhibitions, Courses, Meetings and other Events
Organized The Eighty-Fourth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1929-1930
4 November 1929 - 8 February 1930
Organized The Eighty-Third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1928-1829
29 October 1928 - 2 February 1929
Organized The Eighty-Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1927-1928
31 October 1927 - 4 February 1928
Organized The Eighty-First Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1926-1927
1 November 1926 - 5 February 1927
Organized The Eightieth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1925-1926
2 November 1925 - 6 February 1926
Organized The Seventy-Ninth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1924
1924
Organized The Seventy-Eighth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1923-4
2 October 1923 - 2 February 1924
Organized The Seventy-Seventh Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1922
1922
Organized The Seventy-Sixth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1921
1921
Organized The Seventy-Fifth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1920
1920
Organized The Seventy-Fourth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1919
1919
Organized The Seventy-Third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1918
1918
Organized The Seventy-Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1917
1917
Organized The Seventy-First Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1916
1916
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Annual Spring Exhibition for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, The Seventieth, 1915
1915
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Annual Spring Exhibition for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, The Sixty-Eighth, 1913
1913
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Annual Spring Exhibition for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, The Sixty-Fifth, 1910
1910
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Annual Spring Exhibition for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, The Sixty-Second, 1907
1907
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Annual Spring Exhibition for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, The Fifty-Ninth, 1904
1904
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Annual Spring Exhibition for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, The Fifty-Eighth, 1903
1903
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Annual Spring Exhibition for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, The Fifty-Seventh, 1902
1902
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Annual Spring Exhibition for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, The Fifty-Sixth, 1901
1901
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Fifty-Fourth, 1899
1899
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Fifty-Second, 1897
1897
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Forty-Seventh, 1892
1892
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Forty-Sixth, 1891
1891
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Forty-Fifth, 1890
1890
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Forty-Fourth, 1889
1889
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Forty-Third, 1888
1888
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Forty-Second, 1887
1887
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Thirty-Ninth, 1884
1884
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Thirty-Eighth, 1883
1883
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Thirty-Sixth, 1881
1881
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Thirty-Third, 1878
1878
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Thirty-Second, 1877
1877
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Thirty-First, 1876
1876
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Thirtieth, 1875
1875
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Modern Artists, The Twenty-First, 1866
1866
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Living Artists, The Nineteenth, 1864
1864
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Living Artists, The Eighteenth, 1863
1863
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Living Artists, The Seventeenth, 1862
1862
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Living Artists, The Fourteenth, 1859
1859
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Living Artists, The Eighth, 1853
1853
Organized Exhibition of the Bristol Academy, Works of Living Artists, The Sixth, 1851
1851
Institutional and Business Connections
Associated with Art Union in Connection with the Bristol Academy
1862 (Presumed) - 1904 (Presumed)
Associated People
Associate members included John Bell
1876 (Presumed) - 1891
Listed as an Associate Professional Member
Associate members included Charles James Pibworth
1904 (Circa) - 1907
Listed specifically as Associate member 'Sculpture' (1907)
Associate members included Lilian Sommers Smith
1924 (Presumed) - 1930
Listed as Associate Member 'Sculpture'
Members included John Scandrett Harford
1862
Listed as Donor and Life Member
Members included C. Underwood
1860 - 1867
Listed as a subscriber to the Fine Arts Academy (1860-1864).
Listed as President of Architecture section of Professional Members(1863)
Listed as just a Professional Member of the Architecture Section (1864-1867)
Members of committee included Samuel Charles Fripp
1860 - 1862
Listed as only Architect on the RWA's Committee of Management.
Members of committee included Daniel C.A. Cave
1904 (Circa) - 1913
Listed as Treasurer and Trustee in 1913
Presidents included John Scandrett Harford
1846 (Presumed) - 1861
First President of the Academy
Presidents included Philip William Skynner Miles
1862 - 1878
Second President of the Academy
Presidents included Daniel C.A. Cave
1890 (Circa) - 1891 (Circa)
Presidents included William Henry Wills
1904
4th president
Presidents included Winterstoke
1907 (Circa) - 1910
Presidents included Janet Stancomb-Wills
1913 (Circa) - 1930
Professional members included Samuel Charles Fripp
1863 - 1867
Listed as a Professional Member under the section of Architecture.
Professional members included H. Lloyd
1863 - 1865
Listed as Professional Member of Architecture Section. First Listed in 1863
Professional members included J.H. Parkyn
1890 (Presumed) - 1904 (Presumed)
Professional members included John Fisher
1907 (Circa) - 1927
Listed as a Professional Member 'Sculpture'
Professional members included Margaret May Giles
1907 (Circa) - 1930
Listed as a Professional Member 'Sculpture'
Professional members included Nelson Ethelred Dawson
1907 (Circa) - 1930
Listed as Professional Member 'Enamelling'
Professional members included Ernest Fuller Fabian
1910 (Circa) - 1930
Listed as Professional Member 'Sculpture'
Professional members included Charles James Pibworth
1910 (Circa) - 1930
Listed as Professional Member 'Sculpture'
Professional members included James Havard Thomas
1910 (Circa) - 1921
Listed as Professional Member 'Sculpture'
Professional members included Catherine Edith Hughes
1918 (Circa) - 1930
Listed as Professional Member 'Enamelling'
Professional members included Mary Morton
1918 (Circa) - 1930
Listed as Professional Member 'Sculpture'
Professional members included Courtenay Edward Maxwell Pollock
1921 (Presumed) - 1930
Listed as Professional Member 'Sculpture'
Students included George Hugh Bindon
1876
Listed under 'Students' under Professional Members. Presumed to be a student of the Academy. Duration of study unknown but ended by about 1881 when he moved to London.
Students included James Havard Thomas
1876 (Presumed) - 1891
Listed under 'Students' under Professional Members. Presumed to be a student of the Academy.
Sources
Catalogue for the Eighth Exhibition of the Bristol Academy.
1853
Catalogue for the Eightieth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1925
1925
Catalogue for the Eighty-First Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1926
1926
Catalogue for the Eighty-Fourth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1929
1929
Catalogue for the Eighty-Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1927
1927
Catalogue for the Eighty-Third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1928
1928
Catalogue for the Seventy-Eighth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1923
1923
Catalogue for the Seventy-Fifth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1920
1920
Catalogue for the Seventy-First Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1916
1916
Catalogue for the Seventy-Fourth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1919
1919
Catalogue for the Seventy-Ninth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1924
1924
Catalogue for the Seventy-Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1917
1917
Catalogue for the Seventy-Seventh Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1922
1922
Catalogue for the Seventy-Sixth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1921
1921
Catalogue for the Seventy-Third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1918
1918
Catalogue for the Sixth Exhibition of the Bristol Academy.
1851
Citing this record
'The Royal West of England Academy', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/organization.php?id=msib1_1218014208, accessed 23 Apr 2021]
