Shown above is a view of the Adelphi and the Thames by Agostino Brunias, one of the items on display in a very interesting exhibition on the lives and work of the Adam brothers, who were responsible for many wonderful 18th century buildings including the RSA's House. This has recently opened at Sir John's Soane Museum; entitled Vaulting Ambition, the exhibition runs until 12 January 2008 and entry is free of charge. It includes an item on loan from the RSA Archive, an Adelphi lottery ticket issued by the Adam brothers to raise funds when they were hit by the impact of a general financial crisis whilst attempting to complete the Adelphi development.
A forthcoming conference, William Hunter and the Art and Science of Eighteenth Century Collecting, is to take place at the University of Glasgow from 8-10 November 2007. This forms part of the bicentenary celebrations of the founding of the Hunterian Museum. For further information and to register see the University's History of Art Department news pages. Hunter (1718-1793), renowned as an anatomist and physician, was also a member (what we would now term a Fellow) of the RSA.
