A bit of backgroundThe British School in Rome
was founded in 1901, principally as a centre for archaeological research.
It received its Royal Charter in 1912, based on a constitution drawn up by the
1851 Commissioners (who administered the funds resulting from the Great
Exhibition) and the Presidents of the Royal Academy and the RIBA. The Faculty
of Archaeology, History and Letters was the original core of the School, but in
addition there was to be a Faculty of Arts covering Architecture, Sculpture and
Painting. The Rome Prizes in Architecture, Painting and Sculpture were
established at this time. In 1911, Sir Edwin Lutyens designed the British
Pavilion for the Rome Exhibition of that year. It was so much admired that the
land it stood on was offered to the British authorities on condition that the
building should remain. After considerable alterations and rebuilding, the
pavilion became the permanent home of the British School.
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Edwin Austin Abbey
RA (Ned Abbey) was an American artist who spent most of his working life in
England and played an important role in the founding of the British School in
the early years of the 20th century.
He was a successful artist,
illustrator and mural painter and was particularly interested in the
relationship between mural decoration and architecture.
When he died in
1911 his widow, Gertrude Abbey, provided funds in his memory to build the seven
studio-apartments - now splendidly modernised - which all resident artists have
used ever since. |
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Portrait bust of E A Abbey |
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The Incorporated Edwin Austin Abbey Memorial
Scholarships were founded by Gertrude Abbey in 1926 to enable British and
American painters to spend time at the British School in Rome. There has been
an Abbey Scholar at the British School almost without interruption since then.
The Abbey Fellowships (formerly awards) were established in their present form
in 1990.
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