Glossary: The Summer exhibition

The Summer show at Burlington house has been an institution for many years. Up until comparatively recently there was also a winter show but this has now been dropped. In the exhibition, Royal academicians are allowed to display 6 works of art without any vetting by their peers. Anyone else who wishes to may enter paintings for selection by the vetting committee and display up to a maximum of 3 works. Many thousands enter their works and many thousands are disappointed when they fail to be "hung" in the foremost artistic academy in the land.