Council Room Fireplace, ?1780-86

Joseph Wilton RA (1722 - 1803)

RA Collection: Art

Joseph Wilton, the Keeper of the RA between 1790 and 1803, was the last of the Founder Members to hold the position. He was well-qualified, having previously directed the duke of Richmond’s academy of plaster casts and copies from the antique.

This well-travelled marble fireplace was originally made for the Council Chamber at Somerset House (then the home of the RA), and was probably commissioned by the building’s architect, Sir William Chambers RA. It was then moved to the RA’s next home, at Trafalgar Square, before it was eventually installed here.