Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers

The aim of the Society, founded in 1896, is the promotion of the art of miniature painting and allied crafts. Alyn Williams who was the first President, a position he occupied until 1898, was re-elected from 1908 until 1941. The Society's inaugural exhibition, held in 1896 in the Modern Gallery, was the first to be devoted exclusively to contemporary miniatures and was an immediate success with King Edward VII granting a Royal Charter in 1905. King Edward VII granted the society a Royal Charter on 30 May 1904 and was known as the Royal Miniature Society or RMS. To highlight the Society's growing importance the President's Jewel was commissioned in 1920. It is a large, elaborate silver chain of office designed and made by Alfred Lyndhurst Pocock, which is still worn by the current president at formal functions. In 1926 the Society embraced other forms of miniature art including sculpture and printmaking. Its annual exhibition is open to non-members and is held in November or December at the Mall Galleries. Exhibits include works in illuminating, engraving, sculpture, modelling, carving and gem work in addition to miniature paintings.

Among the Society's awards is the Gold Memorial Bowl, established in 1985. It is one of the highest accolades for miniature art in the world. The Society has known several homes: the Arlington Gallery, from which it was removed by a bomb to the RWS Galleries, thence to the Alpine Gallery and on to the Federation of British Artists at the RBA Galleries. In 1971 the Federation moved to the Mall Galleries and in 1987 the Society transferred to the Westminster Gallery in rooms prepared by the Director of the Westminster Central Hall and the President. There it remained and celebrated its Hundredth Anniversary in November 1995 with a special Exhibition opened by the Earl of Gowrie. It hosted the first ever World Exhibition of Miniatures and showed its valuable Diploma Collection for the first time.

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