175 Years at the RCA

I went to this at the weekend and would urge you to go if in the area. For those with an interest in 20th C British art, it is a great treat. Sculpture by Moore and pictures by Hockney, Auerbach, Bawden, Ravilious, Minton etc etc. By the latter is the enormous and very rarely seen Death of Nelson, owned by the RCA. Towards the end of his life, Minton took to painting what can only be described as old-fashioned history paintings and this huge picture will come as a mighty shock to those used to his earlier work.

There are a number of large early works by Hockney, which I personally don’t like, but which are surely important. There is the famous picture of the teaching staff at the RCA in the 1950’s, all lolling around the staff room, with poor Minton sitting apart and looking forlorn. There are fascinating portraits of RCA principals, such as Old Etonian, Robin Darwin. There are 2 extremely interesting small black sculptures by Geoffrey Clarke.

Beyond the pictures are all sorts of designed things connected with RCA people over the years, including a Porsche.