THE QUEEN WILL VISIT THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS
Central London
Tuesday 20th March 2018
Her Majesty The Queen will visit the Royal Academy of Arts in central London to mark the completion of a major redevelopment of the site. Touring and officially opening the Burlington Gardens building, The Queen will meet those involved in the design and construction process, which has been completed in the Royal Academy’s 250th anniversary year. She will unveil the first painting to be installed in the new spaces, ahead of the full public opening of the new Royal Academy on 19th May. During the course of the visit, Her Majesty will also have an opportunity to view the Royal Academy’s current exhibition, Charles I: King and Collector.
Founded in 1768 the Royal Academy of Arts has been a voice for art and artists for 250 years. It is an independent charity led by eminent artists and architects—the Royal Academicians – which promotes the appreciation and practice of the visual arts and architecture through exhibitions, education and debate.
The landmark anniversary is being marked with a transformative redevelopment designed by the internationally acclaimed architect, Sir David Chipperfield RA, with support from the National Lottery. The new Royal Academy will open up and reveal more of the elements that make the RA unique – sharing with the public historic treasures from its Collection, the work of its Royal Academicians and the Royal Academy Schools, alongside its world-class exhibitions programme.
One of the most significant outcomes of the redevelopment is the link between Burlington House and Burlington Gardens, uniting the two-acre campus. This will provide 70% more space than the original Burlington House footprint, enabling the Academy to expand its exhibition and events programme and to create new and free displays of art and architecture across the campus for visitors throughout the year.
During the visit, The Queen will view the Charles I: King and Collector exhibition, which reunites for the first time the masterpieces of a magnificent collection. King Charles I acquired works by some of the finest artists from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century, including Titian, Mantegna, Holbein, Dürer, Van Dyck and Rubens. Following the King’s execution in 1649, his collection was sold off and scattered across Europe. While many works were retrieved by Charles II during the Restoration, others now form the core of museums such as the Louvre and the Prado. The current exhibition, which closes on the 15th April, includes major works loaned by the Royal Collection with the permission of Her Majesty The Queen.
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