Situated on Thomas Street, the NCAD started as a private drawing school and has become a national institution educating over 1,500 day and evening students as artists, designers and art educators. The College was founded in 1746 as a private drawing school set up by Robert West (painter) in George's Lane. This school was taken over by the Dublin Society and later the RDS. Throughout the eighteenth century there were three schools: Figure Drawing, Landscape and Ornamental Drawing and Architectural Drawing. In 1811, the school of modeling was added. The Department of Science and Art, London controlled the institution from 1854 - it was renamed the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art in 1877. Control was taken by the department of education in 1924, and in 1936 it became the National College of Art. The college was established as the National College of Art and Design in 1971 by an act of the Oireachtas and is now governed by a board (An Bord) appointed by the Minister for Education. The College has been a recognized college of the National University of Ireland since 1996.