Articles
Beginner's Guide
A quick introduction to help you swot up on the artists featured in our exhibitions.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
A beginner’s guide to Lucian Freud
As we unite more than 50 of Lucian Freud’s self-portraits for the first time ever, here’s a handy guide to get to know the man whose painted, printed and drawn figure is in our galleries this autumn.
RA Exhibitions
< 3 years ago
Antony Gormley: 10 works to know
From chewing his way through 600 loaves of bread to making the world’s largest angel, Antony Gormley has never been afraid to pull out all the stops in the name of art. As we prepare for his biggest UK exhibition in over a decade, here are 10 works you need to know from across his career.
RA Exhibitions
3 years ago
A beginner’s guide to Félix Vallotton
From bohemian Paris to the battlefields of the First World War, Félix Vallotton’s art was shaped by a tumultuous epoch – but his vision remained distinctly his own.
RA Exhibitions
> 3 years ago
Renzo Piano: 8 buildings to know
With an RA exhibition profiling the work of Renzo Piano, we introduce eight of the architect’s landmark projects, from New York’s Whitney Museum to London’s iconic Shard.
RA Exhibitions
> 4 years ago
Princes and painters: a who’s who of Charles I’s court
Before you visit our blockbuster ‘Charles I’ exhibition, refresh your knowledge of Stuart history with our introduction to all the major players surrounding the King, matching up big names with impeccably painted faces.
RA Exhibitions
< 5 years ago
Jasper Johns: a beginner’s guide
In autumn 2017 we celebrate the work of pioneering American artist Jasper Johns. The exhibition spans over six decades of ground-breaking work, exploring this highly innovative artist through an extraordinary selection of paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints.
RA Exhibitions
> 6 years ago
Jean-Etienne Liotard: a beginner’s guide
Who was Jean-Etienne Liotard? We introduce one of the most idiosyncratic figures of the 18th century, a master portrait-painter whose works are characterised by their warts-and-all realism and technical virtuosity.
RA Exhibitions
> 6 years ago
James Ensor: a beginner’s guide
In 2016 the RA celebrates the life and work of James Ensor, whose macabre paintings of crowds and carnivals made him one of Belgium’s most prominent artists of the early twentieth century.
RA Exhibitions
> 6 years ago
Giorgione’s Venice: a beginner’s guide
Coming to the RA this spring are iconic works by Giorgione, Dürer, Bellini, Titian and more, in a celebration of Venetian painting in the early 16th century. Here are six key insights into one of the most influential moments in art history.
RA Exhibitions
> 6 years ago
Ai Weiwei: a beginner’s guide
From surveillance cameras to smashed ceramics, Ai Weiwei is uncompromising in his fight for the freedom of expression. Here’s what you need to know about China’s most famous artist.
RA Exhibitions
< 7 years ago
Joseph Cornell: a beginner’s guide
This July, the Royal Academy opens a landmark exhibition devoted to the beguiling works of Joseph Cornell – one of the most original artists of the 20th century.
RA Exhibitions
> 7 years ago
Richard Diebenkorn: a beginner’s guide
This March the RA celebrates the fascinating career of Richard Diebenkorn, one of the great twentieth-century masters of American painting.
RA Exhibitions
> 7 years ago
Peter Paul Rubens: a beginner’s guide
The influence of the Flemish Baroque master can be seen across art history, from the portraits of Van Dyck to the prints of Picasso. Here’s a quick intro to “the prince of painters”.
RA Exhibitions
> 7 years ago
Giovanni Battista Moroni: a beginner’s guide
In October, the RA opens an exhibition of work by one of the greatest portrait painters of all time, Giovanni Battista Moroni. But he is comparatively little known – certainly when compared to the giants of Italian painting like Titian, Veronese and Tintoretto. We spoke to exhibition curator Arturo Galansino to find out more about what sets Moroni apart.
RA Exhibitions
> 7 years ago
Anselm Kiefer: a beginner’s guide
This week the RA welcomes the works of German artist Anselm Kiefer: from intimate watercolours and artist’s books, to vast paintings, complex sculpture, and installations on a monumental scale.