Society of Artists of Great Britain

Society of Artists of Great Britain. Founded in the spring of 1760, it was a pivotal association of professional artists established to organize annual public exhibitions of contemporary art, a practice then lacking in London. The society emerged from the earlier Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce and quickly became a central forum for artists outside the royal court. Its activities directly challenged the existing patronage system and paved the way for the establishment of a national academy, though internal strife and the rise of a powerful rival led to its eventual demise.

History and formation

The society's origins are traced to 1759, when a group of artists, frustrated by the lack of exhibition opportunities, petitioned the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce to host a display. This successful exhibition at the Society's rooms in the Strand featured works by Joshua Reynolds and Francis Hayman. In 1760, the exhibiting artists formally constituted themselves, drafting laws and electing a president, initially the architect John Gwynn. Key early members included portraitist Thomas Hudson, marine painter Charles Brooking, and sculptor Henry Cheere. Their first independent exhibition in 1761 at Spring Gardens, Charing Cross, was a landmark event, drawing large crowds and proving the public's appetite for such displays, a significant shift from reliance on aristocratic patrons like the Duke of Richmond.

Organization and membership

The society was organized as a cooperative body governed by a president and a council of directors elected from the membership. Membership was divided into two classes: exhibiting artists, who paid higher fees and had voting rights, and non-exhibiting subscribers, who were typically connoisseurs and patrons like David Garrick. Notable members over its history encompassed a wide range of talents, including painters George Stubbs, Richard Wilson, Paul Sandby, and Johann Zoffany; architects Robert Adam and William Chambers; and sculptors Louis-François Roubiliac and Joseph Wilton. This diverse membership reflected the society's aim to represent the professional artistic community broadly, though tensions often arose between the leadership and the general body of artists over finances and governance.

Exhibitions and influence

The society's annual spring exhibitions, held at various locations including the Royal Academy's future home in Pall Mall, became major events in the London social calendar. They provided a crucial commercial platform, allowing artists to sell directly to the public and gain critical notice in publications like The Public Advertiser. The exhibitions showcased the rising genres of landscape painting and conversation pieces, promoting artists such as Thomas Gainsborough and George Romney. The society also influenced artistic discourse through the publication of explanatory catalogues and by awarding premiums for history painting, encouraging ambitious subjects drawn from the Bible, classical antiquity, and English history.

Rivalry with the Royal Academy

The society's success exposed internal divisions, particularly between the leadership and a faction led by the influential architect William Chambers and painter Joshua Reynolds. Chambers, a close advisor to King George III, advocated for a royal charter and a more hierarchical structure. In 1768, this faction broke away to found the Royal Academy of Arts, securing the king's patronage and a charter. The defection of major figures like Reynolds, Benjamin West, and Angelica Kauffman was a severe blow. The remaining society members, led by James Paine and Robert Edge Pine, rebranded as the "Free Society of Artists" for a time, positioning themselves in opposition to the new academy's perceived elitism and royal control.

Decline and dissolution

Following the secession of 1768, the society entered a period of steady decline. It struggled financially and critically against the well-connected Royal Academy, which held its first exhibition in 1769 at Somerset House. Leadership disputes persisted, exemplified by a contentious presidency battle between James Barry and William Hoare. The quality and prestige of its exhibitions diminished, and key venues were lost. By the late 1780s, its activities had become sporadic. The society held its final exhibition in 1791 before dissolving, its role largely supplanted by the Royal Academy and other new institutions like the British Institution. Its legacy, however, lived on in establishing the public exhibition as a permanent and vital feature of the British art world. Category:Art organizations based in London Category:Art societies in the United Kingdom Category:Defunct artists' societies