An Essay On The Necessity and Form Of A Royal Academy For Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. - [Epigraph from Cicero]
RA Collection: Book
Record number
07/3561
Imprint
London:: Printed for G. Kearsly, in Ludgate-Street., 1764. [Price One Shilling.]
Physical Description
xi, [1], 35, [1] p.; 176 mm. (Quarto.)
Contents
[T.p., dedic.] - The Preface To The Second Edition - [Text].
Responsibility Note
As in the first edition, the author's name is not given. An unidentified hand has inscribed the title-page in ink, 'By Jno. Nesbitt Esqr.' S.C. Hutchison in his History Of The Royal Academy 1768-1986 (1986), p.14, suggests that the writer of this publication was 'probably the landscape painter Alexander Nesbit' (i.e. John Nesbit [fl. 1763-8]?).
This edition is dedicated by The Author to the Earl of Bute.
References
ESTC, N65657
On the history of the Royal Academy see: C. Saumarez Smith, The company of artists: the origins of the Royal Academy of Arts in London (2012)
J. Fenton, School of genius: a history of the Royal Academy (2006).
On the history of the Royal Academy see J. Fenton, School of genius: a history of the Royal Academy (2006).
H. Hoock, The King's artists: the Royal Academy of Arts and the politics of British culture 1760-1840 (2003).
I. Pears, The discovery of painting: the growth of interest in the arts in England 1680-1768 (1988).
I. Bignamini, 'Art institutions in London 1689-1768', in Walpole Society Journal, 55 (1988), p.19-148.
S. Hutchison, The history of the Royal Academy 1768-1986 (1986).
H.C. Morgan, 'The Schools of the Royal Academy', in Brit. J. Educ. Stud., XXI/1 (1973), p. 88-103.
A.W. Boschloo, ed., Academies of Art (1989).
N. Pevsner, Academies of art ( 1940 /R New York, 1973).
Summary Note
The work had first been published in 1755 under the title: 'An Essay In Two Parts, On The Necessity and Form Of A Royal Academy For Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. [Epigraph] London: Printed for J. Robinson at the Golden Lion in Ludgate-Street. 1755. Price Six-pence.'
Provenance
The front pastedown is inscribed in ink, 'Ex Colln. John Pye Jnry 1874'. The front loose endpaper is inscribed in ink, 'M Roberts'. Between the front endpapers a card is looseley inserted, on which is typed, 'An Essay on the Necessity and Form of a Royal Academy for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture by John Nesbit, 1764. Presented by W. Roberts, Esq., 1938.'
Copy Note
The front loose endpaper is inscribed in ink, 'Reynvers p.4.' and in pencil 'See Pye's "Patronage of British art" passim.' The verso of the front loose endpaper is inscribed in pencil, 'First ed. 1755 published at 6d noticed in Monthly Review June 1755, pp 513-4 very briefly WR'.
The rear pastedown is inscribed in pencil, 'Dealers and cleaners are enemies to academies, because &c ... p 7'. Between the rear endpapers are pasted extracts from the Times Literary Supplement of 30 April and 21 May, 1938, including letters from W. Roberts attributing the authorship of the Essay to John Nesbitt.
Binding Note
19th-century green cloth-covered boards; spine lettered 'Royal Academy - Nesbitt.'