Royal Academy Schools

The RA Schools are situated behind the Royal Academy galleries in Piccadilly. Provision for their establishment was incorporated into the foundation of the Royal Academy in 1768. Initially, this allowed for the appointment of Professors of Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, Anatomy and Perspective, and Geometry; this was later extended to include a Professor of Chemistry. Until the middle of the nineteenth century, the Schools enjoyed a high reputation, but by the turn of the century the Academy's traditionalist stance against the innovations of the avant-garde created a great deal of hostility and until the 1950’s and 1960’s its teaching was regarded by many as old-fashioned and mediocre. Since then, however, the Schools have recovered their reputation for sound teaching, and they now provide mainly postgraduate training to Diploma level in painting, sculpture and printmaking for about 90 students. It is regarded as a centre of excellence within the UK art establishment.

Number of Artists referenced: 1,216