RA Collection: People and Organisations
Founded in 1905 as the 'Society of Twenty-Five English Painters'. From 1907 onward, due to the inclusion of the Scottish artists such as the Glasgow-born James Whitelaw Hamilton, the group dropped ‘English’ and became 'The Society of Twenty-Five Painters'. Terrick Williams, James Whitelaw Hamilton, Walter Montague Smyth, Gerald Moira, Robert Anning Bell, Sydney Lee and Horace Mann Livens were known to have been members. Unlike many artists’ societies of the time, which were composed mainly of men, this group included several female artists, among them Clare Atwood, Isobelle Ann Dods-Withers and Constance Rea.
In 1905 the group exhibited in Barcelona to some critical acclaim. British exhibitions were held at the Goupil Gallery, Regent Street, London, early in its life and at the Leicester Galleries, London. Their exhibition in 1924 at The Fine Art Society was to be the last of The Society of Twenty-Five Painters. Although there remained some activity within the members of the society until it disbanded in 1928.