Royal Society of Arts including Cheere and William Hogarth, or were involved in small-scale private art academies, such as the St Martin's Lane Academy. Although Cheere's attempt failed, the eventual charter, called an 'Instrument', used to establish the Royal Academy of Arts over a decade later was almost identical to that drawn up by Cheere and the RSA in 1755. The RSA also hosted the first "exhibition of contemporary art" in 1760. Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds were among those who exhibited at this first exhibition, and were subsequently founder members of The Royal Academy of Arts in 1768. The Society was a pioneer
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