Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers

The Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers as it was originally called was founded in 1880 by Seymour Haden, James Tissot, Alphonse Legros, Heywood Hardy, Hubert Herkomer and Robert Macbeth. Whistler refused to join as he had 'fought' with his brother-in-law Francis Seymour Haden. The first exhibition in 1881 was held at the Hanover Gallery at 47 New Bond Street, London. Due to a disagreement over commissions, the next exhibition was held at the FAS, followed by the now obscure Windsor Gallery located at 26 Saville Row. The first provincial gallery to offer an exhibition was the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool who as part of their annual Liverpool autumn exhibition staged the 1884 show. In 1885 the Society yet again was forced to 'relocate' to the Dudley Gallery in Piccadilly and in 1886 it again went 'provincial' when its annual exhibition was held at Derby Art Gallery. It returned to London in 1887 and held its annual show above the Dowdeswells Gallery again in New Bond Street. Some exhibition permanency was given when in 1889 the Society shared the same space as the Royal Watercolour Society then located at 5a Pall Mall East. They remained there until 1938 when that building was demolished and they moved to 26 Conduit Street. The final move came in 1980 when the Bankside Gallery was opened and the RWS and RE shared the same space.

They wanted recognition of etching as a painter's art, rather than simply a craftsman's means of reproducing an artist's painting in multiple editions. Within a few short years, in 1888 Queen Victoria granted a Royal title to the Society and in 1898 allowed its name to be enlarged to include Engravers. Among its distinguished Past Presidents is Sir Frank Short, who held the post from 1910-38. His authority on the expansion of etching and engraving during these years created a revival of interest in both the mediums of mezzotints and aquatint. The Society, which is now based at the Bankside Gallery in Blackfriars, caters for all forms of printmaking at its exhibitions and its annual Spring show is open to non-members. Also associated with the Society is the Print Collectors' Club, which is open to anyone interested in etching and engraving.

In 1989, to accommodate progress in technology and to fully embody existing printmaking in all its forms, the RE, as the Society had become known, voted to include all kinds of artists' prints in its exhibitions. It also decided to elect as members, outstanding artists working in any of the various printmaking media. The Society has accumulated a unique collection of prints, encompassing representative works from each new member upon election. Included in the collection are works by such iconic artists as August Rodin, Walter Sickert, Poynter, Alma-Tadema, Gerald Brockhurst, Laura Knight, Graham Sutherland, Gertrude Hermes, Anthony Gross, Michael Rothenstein and Stanley Hayter. These works are now housed by the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. From its inception the RE had members in common with the RWS and a lasting affiliation ensued with the Society sharing premises with the RWS. In 1980, they jointly established the Bankside Gallery Charitable Limited Company, where their regular exhibitions now take place and in 1991 the name was changed to its present format. The major exhibition of members' work generally takes place in May each year.

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