An exhibition celebrating the six architects who served as President of the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts.

On 5 August 1823 George IV issued a ‘Warrent’ for the Charter of Incorporation of the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA). The purpose of this new organisation was to cultivate the fine arts in Ireland. Those fine arts were considered to include painting, sculpture and architecture. Four architects had been included on a list of possible members of a proposed arts academy in 1820, and two architects, Henry Aaron Baker and Francis Johnston, were among the fourteen ‘trusty and well beloved subjects’ listed as the first members of the new Academy in the 1823 Charter.

This exhibition features portraits of the six Architectural Presidents, in the main from the collection of the RHA, alongside exemplars of their architectural output, in the main from the collection of the Irish Architectural Archive. Individually, each has made a substantial contribution to the practice of architecture in Ireland, and each has also contributed significantly to the history and development of the RHA.

In celebrating these Architectural Presidents, this exhibition seeks not just to highlight the impact of these six individuals but also the importance of architects and architecture more widely to the first 200 years of the RHA. In doing so, it also recognises the reciprocal contribution of the RHA to the field of architecture in Ireland.

The IAA is grateful to the RHA for its support and assistance in presenting this exhibition. The assistance of the RIAI is also acknowledged.