Featured Artist in Collection

Sir Martin Archer Shee was born in Dublin, of an old Irish family, and studied in the Dublin Society before coming to London. There in 1788, he was introduced by William Burke to Joshua Reynolds, on whose advice he studied in the schools of the Royal Academy. He was chosen as an Associate of the Academy in 1798, and in 1800 he was made a Royal Academician. In 1830, Shee was chosen as President of the Royal Academy, and shortly thereafter received a knighthood.