Hanes byr yr
Academi Frenhinol
Gymreig

A Brief History of
the Royal Cambrian
Academy

Penderfynodd y cylch a ddaeth ynghyd fel hyn alw eu hunain yn Academi Gelf Gymreig. Er nad oedd ganddynt oriel sefydlog, dechreuwyd gyda brwdfrydedd mawr. Anfonwyd eu prospectws i artistiaid eraill yng Nghymru a chynyddwyd y nifer o aelodau. Dim ond yng Ngogledd Cymru yr oeddynt yn arddangos ond bwriadent ymestyn eu haelodaeth i Dde Cymru.

Cawsant eu cydnabod yn swyddogol yn fuan pan orchmynodd y Frenhines Fictoria y dylent gael eu cyfrif yn 'frenhinol' yn 1882. Yna, er mwyn eu enw da, gwnaethant bedwar artist saesneg enwog yn aelodau anrhydeddus a phenderfynwyd trefnu arddangosfa anferth yn y De yng Nghaerdydd, gyda chatalog o 200 tudalen.

Erbyn 1885 yr oeddynt yn ôl yng Nghyffordd Llandudno yn gwneud trefniadau newydd. Cynnigodd yr Arglwydd Mostyn, tirfeddianwr lleol, blasdy o'i eiddo o oes Elisabeth oedd mewn cyflwr go druenus. Plas Mawr Yng Nghonwy oedd hwn ac ysgol gynradd mewn rhan ohono ar y pryd. O 1886 hyd 1993 dyma gartref parhaol yr Academi. Eu prif orchest yn ystod yr amser yma oedd adfer Plas Mawr, a'i wneud yn un o enghreifftiau pwysicaf ym Mhrydain o bensaerniaeth oes Elisabeth.

Yr oedd yn gefndir ardderchog i ochr gymdeithasol yr Academi, ond nid oedd cystal fel oriel, fel petai hen hanes yr adeilad yn effeithio ar agwedd yr Academi. Yn 1896 rhoddwyd estyniad ar yr adeilad i gael mwy o le i arddangos lluniau, Oriel Fictoria. Yr oedd gwaith arlunwyr heb fod yn aelodau yn cael eu cynnwys yn yr arddangosfeydd yma a dyma pryd y dechreuwyd yr Arddangosfa Haf Flynyddol.

Yn 1934 daeth Augustus John yn Llywydd, a bu wrthi tan 1939. Wedi'r ail ryfel byd cryfhaodd safon artistig yr Academi ac yn arbennig yn ystod llywyddiaeth brwdfrydig, blaengar dau o Swydd Gaer. Yn 1994 cafodd yr Academi y cyfle gorau eto i ddechrau o'r newydd a llwyddo. Daeth y cysylltiad a Phlas Mawr i ben ac adeiladwyd oriel bwrpasol ardderchog i'r Academi. Adnewyddwyd cysylltiadau ag orielau yn y De, ac mae'r arlunydd Gymreig adnabyddus, Kyffin Williams yn Llywydd, derbyniodd arlunwyr o'r De a'r Gogledd wahoddiadau i fod yn aelodau. Mae yma frwdfrydedd heintus cyffredinol. Nid oes diffiniad pendant o 'gelfyddyd Gymreig' ond os yw'n bod, fe'i gwelir o hyn ymlaen yn Oriel yr Academi Frenhinol Gymreig.

gan Myfanwy Kitchin RCA

By arrangement they met some like-minded Welsh artists at Llandudno Junction. The group thus formed called themselves the Cambrian Academy of Art. Although they had no permanent gallery, things started with a flourish. They circulated their prospectus to other artists in Wales and their numbers grew. They exhibited only in North Wales, but had it in mind to extend their membership to the south as well.

Official recognition came quickly when Queen Victoria commanded that the Academy be styled as 'Royal' in 1882. To further their reputation they made four eminent English artists honorary members and looking South they organised a huge exhibition in Cardiff, with a catalogue of over 200 pages.

In 1885 they were back at Llandudno Junction making fresh plans. The local land-owner Lord Mostyn, offered them the lease of his neglected Elizabethan mansion, Plas Mawr, in Conwy, partly occupied then by a junior school. Their achievement here was to restore Plas Mawr, making it one of the outstanding examples of Elizabethan architecture in Britain.

It gave style to the social side of the Academy's activities, but it did not make a good gallery, almost as though the ancient stones tied them to the past. In 1896 they extended their hanging space, building an annexe, the Victoria Gallery. Work from non-members was now included in their exhibitions and the Annual Summer Exhibition started here.

In 1934 Augustus John become their president until 1939. After the Second World War the Academy went from strength to strength, especially more recently with the enthusiasm of two forward looking artists from Cheshire as presidents.

In 1994, the Academy had its greatest opportunity for a new flourishing start. It broke its connection with Plas Mawr and now has a purpose built gallery of its own, a few yards from Plas Mawr. It has renewed contacts with galleries in the South. The well known Welsh artist, Kyffin Williams, now president, and other distinguished artists, both from the South and North of Wales, have accepted invitations to become members.

No one knows what the true definition of Welsh Art is, but if it exists, it can be seen at the Royal Cambrian Academy.

by Myfanwy Kitchin RCA

The RCA has extensive archive material dating back to it's foundation in 1881 and would be happy to assist with any research or queries you might have about a particular artist or painting.