[Richard H. Horne], ‘The Female School of Design in the Capital of the World’

In 1842, a female school of design was established with a view to 'enable young women of the middle class to obtain honourable and profitable employment'. From its establishment in 1842 and until 1856, Mrs. McIan was the first superintendent of the female school of design, which became the Royal Female School of Art. Although McIan was a painter and indeed encouraged her students in the direction of art, she was aware of the politics of the schools. In an 1847 review of the annual exhibition of the Government School of Design, The Art Union was generally harshly critical of it and wrote with ‘despondency’ and ‘indignation’ about the exhibits. A number of students can stand round and see the instructor paint, or give a special lesson to a pupil, from which others may equally benefit.