Royal Academy of Arts as somewhat anachronistic. But efforts are made to award each prize to a student producing work that bears a relation to the intentions of the original benefactor. The Royal Academy has an important collection of books, archives and works of art accessible for research and display. A large part of these collections have been digitised and can be investigated through the Collection website. The first president of the Royal Academy, Sir Joshua Reynolds, gave his noted self-portrait, beginning the Royal Academy collection. This was followed by gifts from other founding members, such as Gainsborough and Benjamin West. Subsequently each elected
Royal Academy of Art, The Hague teachers of the avant-garde like Gerrit Kiljan (1881-1961), Paul Schuitema (1897-1973), Paul Citroen (1896-1983) and Cor Alon (1892-1967) dominated. The Academy expanded its curriculum as one of the first Dutch schools by teaching in the field of industrial design. In 1938 a new building erected on the site of the old house. The design was by the architectural firm "Plantenga, Buijs & Lürsen". In 2000 a general overhaul was carried out. For this project was the architect "Van Mourik Vermeulen" responsible - even the complex was enlarged. In 1990 the Academy merged with the Royal Conservatory to the "Hogeschool van