The Council of the Royal Academy selecting Pictures for the Exhibition, 1875, 1876

Charles West Cope RA (1811 - 1890)

RA Collection: Art

Cope attended the Royal Academy Schools from 1828 and afterwards studied in Paris and Italy for three years. On his return he was successful in the competition to decorate the newly-built Houses of Parliament and worked on many commissions throughout the 1850s and 1860s. Outside this work he only had time for small domestic pictures, often of a mother and child.

Cope used his long experience of designing complex figurative paintings to great effect in this work. From right to left the artists shown are: J.E. Millais (seated in foreground), G. Richmond, F. Leighton, J.F. Lewis, E.M. Ward (standing), F. Grant, T. Faed, R. Redgrave (sitting behind Faed), E. Armitage (standing), J.C. Horsley, P.H. Calderon with J.C. Hook leaning over him. Sir F. Eaton, the Secretary is writing at the desk. C.W. Cope stands behind Armitage.