What is it? The Royal Academy of art is a still-existing art academy that does contemporary art exhibitions, open to all artists. Here is what the front of it looks like, and here are some examples of exhibits in 1935  and 1930 there (so this is probably close to what Frank’s would have looked like). The Summer Exhibition has been running from 1769 every summer until the present.

How does it relate to the novel? Frank invites everyone to see his pictures at a showing/party because they are about to be shown at the academy – a mark of a true contemporary artist.

Relevant Quotes:

  • Relation to the narrative “The last Sunday in March was Show Sunday; and Frank, who was of a festive disposition, had invited all the people he knew in London to inspect his pictures and Mr. Oakley's before they were sent into the Royal Academy.”
  • Prestige/influence “Sidney Darrell was painting [the sisters] in a group for next year's Academy, a canard certainly not to deprecated from a business point of view.”

Parent Map

Unit 1 Map: London
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