THE Bendigo Art Gallery's newest exhibition could be its finest yet.
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It's remarkable to see the quality... it is a great initiative by the Bendigo Art Gallery.
- Charles Saumeraz Smith
Genius and Ambition: The Royal Academy of Arts London 1768-1918 features some of the finest examples of British art that some people will ever see.
Start off with a bust of George III, who was the first patron of the Royal Academy, then a portrait of George IV. The rest of the exhibition takes us through 150 years of British (and to a smaller degree) Australian art.
Bendigo Art Gallery director Karen Quinlan introduced a sneak peek of the exhibition alongside the gallery's senior curator Tansy Curtin as well as the Royal Academy's secretary and chief executive Charles Saumarez Smith and RA curator MaryAnne Stevens.
"The interest in ex-patriot artists and what our Australian artists were doing in London helped start it," Ms Quinlan said.
Beginning with a collection of diploma works (works presented by artists upon their election as a member of the RA) from founding members of the Royal Academy, even Mr Smith was excited to see the exhibition unveiled.
"It's remarkable to see the quality" he said. "The great majority of works are stored.
"I've never seen the full range of artworks, so it is a great initiative by the Bendigo Art Gallery.
"It is also wonderful to see the works of Australians who treated the Royal Academy as a place where they wanted to exhibit."
Royal Academy curator MaryAnne Stevens guided our little group through the collection, highlighting the change in the types of artworks displayed by the RA through the years.
Ms Stevens said the shape of the exhibition takes people through the phases of the Royal Academy and shows the changes in British artworks.
"The history of British - and to a smaller degree - Australian art is written through this insitution," she said.
Ms Steven highlighted John Constable as a predecessor to impressionism as well as showing landscape works that were a response to "the taste of the day" and designed for the middle classes.
Genius and Ambition: The Royal Academy of Arts London 1768-1918 is open to the public on Sunday.