The celebration of the 3rdcentenary of the founding of Spain’s royal academy of language, the Real Academia Española (RAE), begins in September 2013. On this occasion AC/E, in accordance with its lines of work, is supporting this lofty Spanish institution by organising an exhibition designed to trace the history and development of the RAE throughout the 300 years which have elapsed since its establishment. It features more than 250 artworks from different periods including paintings, portraits, engravings, valuable books and treasured incunabula, objects and furniture of different kinds, visual documentaries and newspapers that shed light on significantsnippets of our history and the shared vicissitudes of the languages, its speakers, the academy and citizens.
In October 1714 King Philip V recognised the existence of the academy in a royal order. Its members published the Diccionario de autoridadesin 1726 and completed its six volumes in 1739 – quite a record considering the means available at the time. It was followed a grammar book, a spelling book and editions of classical works such as the famous illustrated Don Quixoteof 1780.
Three centuries providing a service to the Spanish language which, following the emergence of the new technologies in the last third of the twentieth century, has brought major changes to the work of this institution, whose major reference works are prepared in coordination with the other 21 Spanish language academies.
In October 1714 King Philip V recognised the existence of the academy in a royal order. Its members published the Diccionario de autoridadesin 1726 and completed its six volumes in 1739 – quite a record considering the means available at the time. It was followed a grammar book, a spelling book and editions of classical works such as the famous illustrated Don Quixoteof 1780.
Three centuries providing a service to the Spanish language which, following the emergence of the new technologies in the last third of the twentieth century, has brought major changes to the work of this institution, whose major reference works are prepared in coordination with the other 21 Spanish language academies.
