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Formerly the Trustees Academy, from 1858 it became the Edinburgh School of Art when control of art education was taken over by the Government Art and Science Department at South Kensington.

The building remained under the control of the Trustees but the teaching and curriculum now aligned to the Central Government scheme.

Throughout its existence it held its classes in the Royal Institution building on The Mound.

Charles Doswell Lodder served as its Headmaster from 1858-99.

Teaching from the Life remained the exclusive preserve during this period of the Royal Scottish Academy who annually appointed Visitors to administer the RSA Life School, continuing this practise after the Edinburgh College of Art opened, into the early 1930s.

The School subsequently merged with the Edinburgh School of Applied Art and was taken under the control of the Scottish Education Department under whom it was remodelled as Edinburgh College of Art in purpose built premises on Laurieston Place which opened in 1908.