| A… |
Associate of… e.g. ARA = Associate of the Royal Academy |
| AA |
Associated Artists in Watercolours (1808-1812) |
| AAS |
Aberdeen Artists’ Society |
| abbr |
abbreviation |
| ARA |
Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts |
| ARSA |
Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy |
| ARSW |
Associate of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours |
| BA |
Bachelor of Arts |
| BADA |
British Antique Dealers' Association |
| Bart |
Baronet |
| BI |
British Institution (1806-1867) Pall Mall |
| BM |
British Museum |
| BSc |
Bachelor of Science |
| BWS |
British Watercolour Society |
| c. |
circa (“about that date”) |
| cat. |
catalogue |
| CINOA |
Confederation Internationale des Negociants en Oeuvres d'Art |
| DD |
Doctor of Divinity |
| exhib. |
exhibitor, exhibited or exhibition |
| FBA |
Federation of British Artists |
| fl. |
flourit (flourished) denotes period actively painting or exhibiting |
| FRS |
Fellow of the Royal Society |
| FRSA |
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts |
| FS |
The Free Society of Artists 1761-1783 |
| FSA |
Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries |
| GG |
Grosvenor Gallery (“Greeny-Yallery”) |
| GI |
Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts (founded 1861) see also RGI |
| H… |
Honorary… |
| HAC |
Honourable Artillery Company (founded 1537) |
| HRSA |
Honorary Member Royal Scottish Academy |
| ILN |
Illustrated London News |
| IS |
International Society of Sculptors, Painters & Gravers |
| LAA |
Liverpool Academy of Arts |
| LG |
London Group |
| LL.D |
Doctor of Law |
| MA |
Master of Arts |
| MICE |
Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers |
| NEAC |
New English Art Club (founded 1886) |
| NG |
National Gallery (Trafalgar Square) |
| NG |
also New Gallery (founded 1888) Regent Street |
| NGS |
National Gallery of Scotland (The Mound, Edinburgh) |
| NLS |
National Library of Scotland |
| NMM |
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich |
| NPG |
National Portrait Gallery |
| NPS |
National Portrait Society |
| NS |
National Society of Painters Sculptors & Gravers |
| NSA |
New Society of Artists |
| NWS |
New Society of Painters in Watercolours (founded 1831) |
| OM |
Order of Merit |
| OWS |
“Old” Society of Painters in Watercolours (founded 1804) |
| P… |
President of … |
| PhD |
Doctor of Philosophy |
| PS |
Pastel Society |
| qv |
quod vide (“which see”) |
| RA |
Royal Academy (of Arts) founded 1768 |
| RA |
Royal Academician |
| RA |
also Royal Artillery |
| RACYC |
Royal Armoured Corps Yacht Club |
| RBA |
Royal Society of British Artists (Suffolk Street) |
| RBC |
Royal British Colonial Society of Artists |
| RBS |
Royal Society of British Sculptors |
| RBSA |
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists |
| RCA |
Royal College of Art |
| RCA |
Also Royal Cambrian Academy |
| RDS |
Royal Dublin Society (founded 1731) |
| RE |
Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers See RPE |
| RE |
also Royal Engineers |
| RFC |
Royal Flying Corps |
| RGI |
Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts (Royal Charter granted 1896) |
| RGS |
Royal Geographical Society |
| RHA |
Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin |
| RI |
Member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours (formerly NWS) |
| RIA |
Royal Irish Academy |
| RIBA |
Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects |
| RMA |
Royal Military Academy (Woolwich) “The Shop” |
| RMAS |
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst |
| RMCS |
Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham |
| RMS |
Royal Society of Miniature Painters |
| RN |
Royal Navy |
| RNVR |
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| ROI |
Member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Oil-Colours |
| RORC |
Royal Ocean Racing Club |
| RP |
Royal Society of Portrait Painters |
| RPE |
Member of the Royal Society of Painters & Etchers |
| RSA |
Royal Scottish Academy (founded 1826) The Mound |
| RSA |
also Royal Society of Arts |
| RSMA |
Royal Society of Marine Artists |
| RSW |
Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours |
| RTR |
Royal Tank Regiment |
| RTYC |
Royal Thames Yacht Club |
| RUA |
Royal Ulster Academy |
| RWA |
Royal West of England Academy |
| RWS |
Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours |
| RYA |
Royal Yachting Association |
| RYS |
Royal Yacht Squadron |
| s&d |
signed & dated |
| SA |
The Society of Artists of Great Britain 1760-1791 |
| SAC |
Scottish Arts Council |
| SAvA |
Society of Aviation Artists |
| SBA |
Society of British Artists (founded Suffolk Street, 1824) |
| SGA |
Society of Graphic Art |
| SM |
Society of Miniaturists |
| SMP |
Society of Mural Painters |
| SNGMA |
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art |
| SNPG |
Scottish National Portrait Gallery (Queen Street, Edinburgh) |
| SS |
See SBA, RBA |
| SSWA |
Scottish Society of Women Artists |
| SWA |
Society of Women Artists |
| SWLA |
Society of Wildlife Artists |
| V&A |
Victoria & Albert Museum |
| VP… |
Vice President of… |
| WIAC |
Womens’ International Art Club |
| yr |
the younger |