First Inaugural banquet of the Royal Academy 's summer season since 1939. Radio listeners heard the President , Sir Alfred Munnings deliver a fiery speech , attacking modern impressionistic art , and mentioning by name such artists as Matisse , Picasso and Henry Moore. His diatribe brought many interruptions from his audience which were also audible on air and some listenders rang up complaining of the language used . The Duke of Gloucester during his speech last night . On the Duke 's left is seated Sir Alfred Munnings , and behind him is the painting of a woman by deaf and dumb artist A R Thomson , highly praised by Sir Alfred 29 April 1949