Studio Sittings: Photographing Royal Academicians

For over 25 years, portrait photographer Anne Purkiss has been taking pictures of Royal Academicians. Often posed in their studios, these images are a unique record of some of the most celebrated artists of recent times. From Dame Elisabeth Frink, to Sir Peter Blake and Sir Anthony Caro the images provide a telling insight into the artist’s working environment and their creative spaces.

Frederic Leighton’s own career was bound up with the Royal Academy. Elected an Associate in 1864, he became President in 1878. His era saw the emergence of the celebrity artist; whose image was widely photographed, published and collected. Studio Sittings includes photographs of Leighton and his RA contemporaries also posed in their studios allowing a fascinating dialogue to emerge.