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
Robert Crozier (artist) Robert Crozier (artist) Robert Crozier (1815–1891) was an English portrait artist, based in Manchester. He was a president of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts which he helped to found. Robert Crozier was born on 17 October 1815 in Blackburn, Lancashire. His father was George Crozier, a saddler and botanist. After a childhood in Blackburn, Bolton and Warrington, he moved to Manchester in 1836 where he attended the Manchester School of Design, and became established as a portrait painter studying under William Bradley (1801–1857). He exhibited at the Royal Manchester Institution in 1841, and the Royal Academy in 1854. After