The Exhibition of the Royal Academy, 1787

In this engraving paintings are shown crammed onto the wall of the Royal Academy annual exhibition. In 1787 Sir Joshua Reynolds was President of the Royal Academy and is depicted, identified by his ear trumpet for he was deaf, escorting the Prince Regent around the show. Behind him is his own portrait of the Prince Regent with a black servant.

The paintings were judged by their position in the rooms so anything above a line determined by the height of the door was deemed to be skyed and therefore considered less good because it could not be seen properly.

The inscription in Greek on the print reads ‘medeis amousos eisito’ namely ‘let no-one enter who is uneducated in the arts’. The crowds who attended the exhibition had to pay one shilling to enter ensuring that only the more affluent members of society could attend.