Fifteen discourses

Delivered as a series of fifteen lectures to the Royal Academy, this work captures the voice of one of eighteenth‑century Britain’s most influential painters. As the first president of the Academy, he uses the platform to articulate a vision of art that blends rigorous intellectual standards with the practical concerns of the studio. The speeches are rooted in the vibrant debates of the era, offering listeners a window into the formation of modern artistic education.

The author’s central argument pits the ideal beauty of form against what he deems the decorative excesses of the Venetian colourists. He praises the moral and structural clarity of the Italian masters while warning against a superficial focus on hue. Interwoven with personal anecdotes and vivid observations, the discourses reveal a passionate, sometimes contradictory, relationship with colour that still resonates with anyone curious about the foundations of artistic taste.