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Since its foundation in 1823, the Society of British Artists (became Royal in 1887) has been a magnet for some of Britain’s most celebrated artists. A peruse through the Society’s exhibition catalogues reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of British virtuosity.
Listed is a small selection of artists who were members of the Society.
Researched and compiled by Anthony J Lester, FRBA, FRSA
(1834-1903)
RBA Member 1884, RBA President 1886-1888
He showed Arrangement in Black, No.2: Portrait of Mrs Louis Huth and A Little Red Note: Dortrecht, in the Society’s 1884 Winter Show. Reviewing the exhibition, The Times (3 December 1884) wrote:
“Mr Whistler’s ‘Arrangement in Black – Portrait of Mrs. Louis Huth’ (299) will, of course, attract the most attention of any work in the gallery. Artistic society was startled a week ago by the news that this most wayward, most un-English of painters had found a home among the men of Suffolk Street of all people in the world; and this portrait and a small water-colour sketch are the evidence which he gives of his attachment to his new abode.
There is no need to discuss at this date a style of art which has long been familiar to visitors to the Salon and the Grosvenor; it is enough to say that the portrait is successful among Whistlers – it will please the impressionists and the lovers of fine tones, and it will give some little satisfaction to those who dissent from the artist’s theories so much as to hold that a picture is none the worse for giving some evidence of work.”
(1867-1956)
RBA Member 1890 and he was President from 1 December 1913- 21 October 1918.
Although he received some tuition from his architect father, he was primarily self-taught. Brangwyn’s reputation was international – his remarkable artistic versatility can be admired at the Brangwyn Museum, Dijver 16, 8000 Bruges, Belgium
(1833-1898)
RBA Member: October 1890, Honorary RBA Member: 1893.
He exhibited at the RBA between 1890 and 1898
(1894-1973)
RBA Member 1930.
He exhibited four works priced between £20 and £48. He went on to exhibit well over 160 works, one of the most expensive being his 1942 painting Twickenham: Study of Figures in Landscape, priced at £150.
(1860-1942)
Elected RBA President 1928 – 1930
He first exhibited at the RBA in 1884, the subject being Portrait Sketch. Reviewing the 169th Exhibition The Times (26 March 1928) wrote:
“His election to the office is, indeed, matter for congratulation, and with his technical soundness and extremely tolerant attitude towards artistic ideals quite different from his own he should call out the best of which the society is capable. Whistler was too flippant for native prejudice, Sir Alfred East too decorative, and the late Mr. Solomon J. Solomon, though he set a good standard in oil painting of the seductive kind, was not sufficiently aware of the time of day”.
Jack the Ripper’s Bedroom, c. 1907
(1848-1913)
RBA Member 1883 and President from 1906 – 1913
RBA Member 1883, the year he showed Crail, Fifeshire: Evening, after rain, a watercolour priced at £15-15-0. He was President from June 1906 until his death on 28 September 1913.
Image: Sir Alfred East by Philip de László, 1907
(1874-1961)
RBA Member 1903.
Regarded as one of the major artists of the Scottish Colourists School of painting, he first exhibited three works with the RBA in 1901. In the 1908 exhibition he had 14 works exhibited, ranging in price from £4 to £18 – today his best paintings can exceed £500,000 at auction
(1887-1976)
RBA Member 1935
First exhibited winter 1934 (Street Scene; Lancashire Villageand Street Scene, each priced at £31-10-0). One of his most important works, The Regatta, was included in the summer 1951 exhibition priced at £250. Lowry’s painting The Football Match, bought for £250 in 1951 sold for £5.6 million in 2011 at Sotheby’s
(1889-1946)
RBA Member 1931
He exhibited 90 works between 1932 and 1946, with prices ranging from £4-4-0 to £105. In 2017 his oil painting A Dawn sold at Sotheby’s for £1,869,000
(1923-2009)
RBA Member 1951
One of the finest watercolourist of his generation. He served as the Society’s Keeper in charge of their historic collections.
(1917-1957)
RBA Member 1950
Last exhibited in 1953 (John Bowler, £31-10-0; Spencer Churchill, £63)
(1869-1958)
RBA Member 1902
(1869 – 1937)
President March 1930
(1892-1957)
RBA President 1950
(1830-1896)
RBA Member 1870
(1895-1965)
RBA Member 1946
(1869 – 1937)
RBA Member 1825
Exhibited from 1824 to 1836
(1910-1974)
RBA Member 1946
(1874-1955)
RBA Member 1906
(1861-1951)
RBA Member 1931 [Associate Member 1921]
Portrait d’Edgard Tytgat
(1817-1904)
RBA Member 1888
(1918-2006)
Welsh landscape painter who is widely regarded as the defining artist of Wales during the 20th century.
(1908-1997)
RBA Member 1934
THE RBA HAS ALSO ATTRACTED ARTISTS FROM ABROAD, INCLUDING:
(1888 – 1978)
Became an RBA Hon Foreign Member in 1948 and a solo exhibition was held at the RBA London [summer 1949]
(1840 – 1926)
Exhibited four pictures, each priced at £160, in the winter show of 1887/8.
HONORARY RBA MEMBERS
(1888 – 1978)
(1874-1965)
Hon RBA 1948
(1852-1944)
Hon RBA 1923
(1929-2009)
Hon RBA
(1819-1909)
Hon RBA 1880
(1827-1910)
Hon RBA 1898
He exhibited ‘May Morning: On Magdalen Tower, Oxford ‘ in 1898 and ‘Piazza Della Constituzione, Athens, By Night’ in 1902
(1930-2018)
Hon RBA
(1829-1896)
Hon RBA 1896
(1898-1986)
Hon RBA
OTHER IMPORTANT ARTISTS WHO EXHIBITED WITH THE RBA INCLUDE:
(1921-1975)
Multitalented artist who was a sculptor, painter, printmaker, book illustrator, theatrical designer, film maker, broadcaster, writer and art critic. First exhibited at the RBA in 1950 (The Shepherd, £210)
(1900-1965)
Exhibited 11 works between 1948-1950