TheRoyal Academy Exhibition of 1806 was anart exhibition held atSomerset House inLondon between 5 May and 21 June 1806. It was the thirty eighth annualSummer Exhibition staged by theRoyal Academy of Arts.[1]
It was staged at a turbulent time for the organisation. The previousPresident of the Royal Academy, the American painterBenjamin West had been outsted and replaced by thearchitectJames Wyatt. West staged his own exhibition featuring the largeThe Death of Nelson depicting theBattle of Trafalgar which drew over thirty thousand spectators includingGeorge III who missed the opening of the academy's exhibition. West would return to the Royal Academy as president later the same year. 1806 also marked the first year of the rivalBritish Institution which held its own exhibition of inPall Mall at the same time.[2]
The academy's submissions includingportrait paintings fromThomas Lawrence who emerged as the leading portraitist of theRegency era. Amongst his works was a painting feature the mistress and son of theMarquess of Abercorn.[3]John Hoppner displayed a picture of thePrime MinisterWilliam Pitt the Younger.
The French artistPhilip James de Loutherbourg exhibited hislandscape paintingsThe Evening Coach andThe River Wye at Tintern Abbey.[4][5] The young Scottish artist enjoyed his breakthrough with thegenre paintingThe Village Politicians.[6]
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