The Image of the Artist: Portraits from the Royal Academy

The exhibition considers the role of the artist by exploring images of Royal Academicians past and present which are going on display from the collection of the Royal Academy. The works show how artists have sought either to reveal or disguise their identities, in both cases controlling how their image is presented. From the founding members of the Royal Academy such as Thomas Gainsborough RA and the huge group work by Henry Singleton, 1795 of forty Academicians to portraits of Patrick Proctor RA, Jean Cooke RA and David Hockney RA, this rich and thought-provoking exhibition provides an insight into the lives and identities of Britain’s leading and celebrated artists.

Image credit:
(Detail)
Thomas Gainsborough, R.A. (1727–88)
Self-portrait of Thomas Gainsborough, R.A.
c. 1787
Oil on canvas
© Royal Academy of Arts, London; photographer: Prudence Cuming Associates Limited.