Sir Joshua Reynolds RA FRS FRSA (1723 – 1792) was an influential eighteenth-century English portrait painter.
He promoted the " Grand Manner " of painting which idealized subjects to convey a sense of nobility.
Knighted by King George III in 1769, Reynolds was a founder and first president of the Royal Academy of Arts .
Although he had little technical training as an artist, he possessed an instinct for color and composition. His figures appear in a natural attitude of grace and he gives them an air of distinction. Even the most ill-tempered sitters were elevated to a position of dignity.
Reynolds had a gift for capturing the personality of the sitter—what critics called "realizing their individuality." Using his imagination, he would weave a story into each portrait.
His compositions have a symmetry of outline and flow of lines reminiscent of Raphael. In fact, he borrowed from many sources: Rembrandt's lighting and color harmonies; Rubens's splendor; Titian's decoration.
Yet to all his works, he added his personal touch that makes them uniquely Reynolds.
Which is your favorite 18th-century lady painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds?