The Academy had its origins in the community of British artists working in Rome, which had existed since the late 18th century, although its activities were disrupted by the Napoleonic wars.
[1] The Academy initially came into being in 1821[2] and was put onto a more formal footing in 1823, largely through the efforts of Joseph Severn, an English art student who had arrived in Italy in 1820 in the company of his friend, the poet John Keats, who was dying of tuberculosis.
Although Lawrence declined any suggestion that the new body in Rome should be formally set up under the auspices the Royal Academy, he arranged for it to contribute some financial aid, donated to its funds personally and recruited other patrons.
He also secured the backing of the king, George IV, who gave £200 and officially approved the use of the name 'The British Academy of Arts in Rome'.
[3] To house the Academy, Severn rented premises, comprising six rooms, at 18 Via Sant' Isidoro, which doubled as his own home and studio.
[3] Artists associated with the Academy in its early years included J. M. W. Turner, who stayed with Eastlake when he visited Italy in 1829, and George Richmond, who became involved with it in 1838.