Photograph taken by Christopher Denvir, Project Archivist to show the conditions of the documents before the archives were housed in new strongrooms
Photograph taken by Christopher Denvir, Project Archivist
Photograph taken by Christopher Denvir, Project Archivist
Photograph taken by Christopher Denvir, Project Archivist
Photograph taken by Christopher Denvir, Project Archivist
Photograph taken by Christopher Denvir, Project Archivist
Photograph taken by Christopher Denvir, Project Archivist
James Barry was born in 1741 and died in 1806. In 1777 Barry submitted a proposal to the Society to decorate the Great Room of its new premises. He offered to paint the whole room without fee, in return for canvas, paints and models. He began painting in April that year, and although he continued to alter the paintings until 1801, they were exhibited in 1783 and '84, with the proceeds going to Barry.\n\nBarry was his own publisher, and produced numerous works explaining the The Progress's symbolism, later editions of which contained appendices railing against his critics.\n\nIn 1782, Barry was elected to professor of painting at the Royal Academy, receiving a salary in return for six lectures a year. Barry used the position to engage with role of the artist in society, but went too far in putting forth his opinions and, together with his 1798 Letter to the Dilettanti Society's attacks on the state of arts patronage in England, angered the Academy was expelled in 1799. His was the Academy's only expulsion until Professor Brendan Neiland resigned in July 2004.\n\nThe Earl of Buchan came to Barry's aid after he lost his salary, paying expenses and moving him to a larger house so that he could finish his final painting, The Birth of Pandora. James Barry died in February 1806, and his body laid in state in the Society's Great Room, before being interred in St. Paul's Cathedral.
Addressed 'to the publick', requesting that any representations of figures people wish to appear in Elysium be sent to Mr More
Requesting the loan of a medallion with a likeness of William Penn engraved on it
numbered 70-113
Thomas Philips was comissioned to produce a set of engravings of the Great Room paintings
This is subsequent to his letter dated 25/10/1801, but reproduces substantial parts of it. Elements of this thus also appear in the 1801 Transactions.