ART - TURNER, LAWRENCE AND THE ROYAL ACADEMY Document signed by Turner ('Jos Mallord W Turner RA') and Bone ('Henry Bone RA'), addressed to The Lords Commissioners of His Majestys Treasury, certifying receipt of five cases containing plaster casts and books belonging to F.L Chantrey '...imported by him for his sole use, and improvement in the arts, and not for Sale...', examined by Richard Eales, assistant surveyor, countersigned and dated by Thomas Lawrence at foot ('Thos Lawrence P.R.A./ Russell Square'), Royal Academy seal in black wax, extensive docket and receipt by customs on reverse, one page on a bifolium, watermark of Britannia and Charles Ball/ 1814, dust-staining and marks, small tears along folds, remains of tape on reverse where previously mounted, folio (318 x 200mm.), London, 18 April 1820 Footnotes: TURNER AND LAWRENCE OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY AUTHORISE FRANCIS CHANTREY TO IMPORT WORKS OF ART. This rare document is signed by three major artists of the early nineteenth-century, the Royal Academicians, J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851), Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830) and enameller Henry Bone (1755-1834). It confirms receipt of five cases of works of art, imported by the sculptor Francis Chantrey (1781-1841) via Leghorn in the great tradition of the Grand Tour. The significant artistic and financial legacies that Turner, Lawrence and Chantrey left to the Royal Academy are felt to this day, and whilst Henry Bone's important collection of paintings was dispersed by Christie's in several sales after 1836, it now forms part of the Royal Collection and the portrait collections at Kingston Lacy and Hillsborough Castle. Turner had been exhibiting at the RA since he was a teenager in the 1790's and become a full Academician in 1802. He remained closely involved with the RA and its activities throughout his life, and bequeathed a sum of money to be used for artists in hardship and to fund a prize medal and scholarship for landscape painting. The other notable signatory, Thomas Lawrence, had been appointed president of the Royal Academy three weeks earlier on the death of Benjamin West, and would hold that position until his death ten years later. Chantrey in turn bequeathed much of his fortune to a fund administered by the Royal Academy of Arts, devoted to encouraging the establishment of a public national collection of British art. The first purchase was made after his wife died in 1875 and, from 1897, the Chantrey Bequest was allocated to support acquisitions by the newly-founded Tate Gallery. Until the 1920's it was the Tate's main source of funding and remains an active contributor to the artistic life of the nation. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing