When the Royal Academy was founded in 1768, Britain was at the height of its involvement in the slave trade. The practice was abolished 39 years later, in 1807, but the 19th century was still laden with contradictions. Even as abolition was a popular theme among artists in Britain, colonial expansion was at its peak. This large exhibition, which includes works from the 18th century to the present, examines the museum’s historic and current links to colonialist practices. Works by 50 artists—including Frank Bowling, Yinka Shonibare, Kara Walker, and J. M. W. Turner—are on view. —Elena Clavarino