Daily camera., 1898-11-22
THE ROYAL ACADEMY
Why Young Artists Are Ambitious
to Become Members.
1t Is an Immensely Wealthy Institu-
ton and Affords Great Ad-
vantaXes-HOw EIectiOnr
Are Held.

To become a royal academician, or,
at all events, an associate, is the dmbl-
ton of every young artist, for member
ship of the academy means much more
than the mere right to put the letters
K. \. after ones name, and to exhibit
pictures in the fine galleries at Bur
lington house. In the iiIst place, an
academician is an esquire by right, and
not merely by courtesy, and. further,
he is entitled. should he ever come on
hard times. to d substantial pension
Of between { $50 and { 100 a year. If
he dies leaving his widow unprovided
for the academy allows her a liberal
sum for her maintenance.
The associates and the associates
widows are also entitled to pensions. on
Il somewhat smaller scale. so that there
are many reasons, apart from the honor
and glory, why the painter, sculptor or
architect should wish to become a mem
Der of the powerful and wealthy body
which has it's headquarters in Picca-
dilly.
When, therefore, young artist be-
gins to get on, when he has his pictures
we'll hung, year after year, when they
lind ready buyers, and are talked about
in society, he takes the first step to-
ward election by suggesting to one Of
the academicians that he should put
his name down on the list Of candi-
-l.,1. |, IT
the list, ei her until he dies or is elected
or voluntarily removes il, and this eN-
plains WHY one finds on the roll Of can
didates tle names of many artists once
popular, but long since forgotten by
the public
When a vacancy occurs among the
associates, printed copies of this list,
on blue foolscap paper, are sent to aI
the members. together with Il request
hat they shall attend at the academy
pn a certain evening, when an election
will take place. The elections them
selves are conducted in ii singular and
somewhat complex fashion, peculiar to
he acaGemy-a method which took the
place, about 20 years ago, of the rough
and ready system formerly in vogue.
Both academicians and associates
are allowed to take part in the cleo
ton, and when the members are gath
cred together each scores out with a
pencil the name of the artist for whom
he wishes to vote, and hands the paper
SO marked to the secretary. These
scorings out are known as scratches
ut the academy, and the secretary, after
examining all the papers, duly an
nounces how many Scratches have
oeen given to each candidate
The election is then advanced an.
other stage. The president. who, by,
virtue of his office, occupies the chair,
directs that the names of all those can
lidates who have received more than
four scratches shall be inscribed in
chalk upon the blackboard, while those
to whom only one, two or three votes
have been given have no further chance
Pf being elected.
The academicians and associates
then vote again for the candidates
whose names are on the board. The
two leading men in this contest are now
for final ballot, the winner In
which becomes an associate of the
Royal Academy.
The academicians are elected in pre-
cisely the same manner, except that the
associates are the candidates. instead
of the outsiders. All this system of
scratches" and blackboards" seems
cumbrous and unnecessary but it is
said to work extremely well in practice
Sometimes, though very rarely. tie
occurs, and in this case the president
or in his absence the academician who
temporarily takes his place, has cast
Ing vote When Mr.. Ernest Crofts. the
hattle painter. was elected recently he
tied in the final ballot with MIR. Jackson.
the architect. and to Mr.. Calderon (who
in the absence of the late Sir John Mil.
iais occupied the chairl fell the difficult
task of making the final selection.
The associates have no voice in the
election of a president. the power OF
voting resting entirely with the acad-
emicians. Sir John Millais, the late
president, was elected by the unani-
nous vote of the members, fact which
must have been extremely gratifying to
that great artist: but on some her oc-
,asions the fight for the presidentship
has been very severe indeed.
The post is well worth struggle, for
it carries with it substantial remunera-