SPECIFIC IDENTIFICATIONS

The Positions of John Russell's Pastels in the Anti-Room in 1792 and 1793

John Russell was an influential senior RA. He was:
"Crayon Painter to his Majesty, and their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and Duke of York" [RA 1793 catalogue]
Russell had 4 pastels strategically placed in each of the 1792 and 1793 exhibitions, the same positions both years, two to the right and 2 to the left of the entrance, from the Anti-Room, to the Great Room:
Sandby, 1792: Redrawn for 1793:

For 1792:

• From the 'List of Exhibitors' 1792 in the Royal Academy Catalogue 1792 (page 31),
• titles and exhibition numbers in the Anti-Room in 1792 Royal Academy Catalogue 1792 (pages 11, 12 & 13),
• our list of Somerset House Exhibition Rooms and Exhibit Numbers 1788 - 1799
• and Sandby's drawings of the Anti-Room 1792

we can see that Russell's pastels were hung, on the East Wall, two to the left and two to the right of the door to the exhibition room.

For 1793:

• The 'List of Exhibitors' for 1793 Royal Academy Catalogue 1793 (page 31) and
• the exhibition numbers in the Anti-Room Royal Academy Catalogue 1793 (pages 9, 10 & 11)

show that a similar hanging arrangement was in place for 1793 and we have shown these on 1793 anti-room based on Sandby's drawings

• In Edward Bell's marked up catalogue of 1793 we see the the first two Russells (237 & 238) with the annotation 'drawing' next to 238 'The young Artists' . The other two (298 & 299) are bracketed together with the George Beck (No.300)and marked 'crayons'. There are many other annotations but no more 'crayons/drawings' and no 'watercolour' annotations at all. (RA, AND/8/201 no digital copy available)