B. Ralph, to James Paine

RA Collection: Archive

Reference code

SA/46/1

Title

B. Ralph, to James Paine

Date

c. Dec 1768

Level

Item

Extent & medium

1 piece, 1p.

Historical Background

The decision to send a petition to the King, following the announcement of the Royal Academy, had been agreed at a general meeting of 6 December 1768. The petition called for royal support for the Society of Artists. Ralph felt it was inappropriate to demand a full French-style academy: Hargraves, p.131.

Content Description

Ralph tells Paine that he had been reconsidering the Parisian scheme, and found that it would be liable to many objections: to name but one, it would be unpopular. Instead, the King should be encouraged to support the idea of joint exhibitions between "his academicians" and the Society at Spring Gardens. He adds in a postscript the suggestion that the Society could, with propriety, contribute to lectures or professorships at the Royal Academy.