Westmacott lecturing at Somerset House in 1830; Lecture on Sculpture by Sir Richard Westmacott at the Royal Academy

This print shows the British sculptor Richard Westmacott (standing close to the front row near the door) delivering a lecture to Royal Academy Schools students. At the front is a gaggle of casts made from ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, which the Academy collected so that students could study them. On the walls are other prized artworks from the RA’s collection: a copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper (above the statues), and James Thornhill’s copies of Raphael’s Acts of the Apostles.

The Royal Academy occupied several London premises before moving to its current home (Piccadilly’s Burlington House) in 1869. Teaching originally took place in a building on Pall Mall and then at Old Somerset House on the Strand. In 1780 the RA moved into New Somerset House, which are now the galleries of the Courtauld Institute of Art.