Sir Joshua Reynolds fue un pintor inglés y uno de los retratistas más influyentes del siglo XVIII. Como presidente fundador de la Real Academia de las Artes, marcó el desarrollo del arte británico de su época, convirtiéndose en una figura destacada en la creación del «Grand Manner», un estilo estético idealizado derivado del clasicismo y del arte del Alto Renacimiento.
Joshua Reynolds nació en 1723 en Plympton, Devon, , y mostró desde muy temprano talento para el dibujo. Fue aprendiz del retratista Thomas Hudson en Londres antes de emprender un viaje por Italia en 1749, donde estudió las obras de los grandes maestros, entre ellos Miguel Ángel, Rafael y Tiziano. Este viaje influyó profundamente en su estilo y su filosofía artística, que más tarde plasmaría en sus «Discursos sobre el arte» (1769-1790), una serie de conferencias impartidas en la Real Academia en las que destacaba la importancia de estudiar el arte clásico y desarrollar un estilo personal.
Los retratos de Reynolds se convirtieron en sinónimo de la aristocracia británica y de la incipiente cultura de las celebridades. Sus retratos, pintados con colores intensos y poses tomadas de la pintura clásica, captaban a sus modelos bajo una luz elevada y heroica, resaltando su carácter y su estatus.
El artista desempeñó un papel fundamental en el auge del retrato como género dominante en el arte británico. El dominio de Reynolds de la luz, el color y la composición contribuyó a elevar el retrato al nivel de la pintura histórica, considerada la forma más elevada de arte en aquella época.
En 1768, con la fundación de la Real Academia de las Artes, Reynolds se convirtió en su primer presidente y permaneció en el cargo hasta su muerte en 1792. A través de su arte, sus enseñanzas y sus escritos, Sir Joshua Reynolds dejó un legado duradero en el panorama del arte británico.
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Lady Frances Marsham, later Countess of Romney (1755-1795), full-length, in a yellow dress and pink shawl, in a park landscape
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1721-1765), three-quarter-length, as a Ranger of Windsor Great Park, with the star and sash of the Order of the Garter, the tower of Fort Belvedere, Windsor Great Park, beyond
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Luke Gardiner, 1st Viscount Mountjoy (1745-1798), half-length, in a beige, fur-trimmed coat, white stock and striped red waistcoat
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Devon 1723-1792 London)
Edwin: Study of a young boy, half-length, in a brown coat, white shirt and blue sash
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of William Charles Colyear, Viscount Milsington, later 3rd Earl of Portmore (1747-1823), when a boy, half-length, in a grey coat, leaning on a table, with a spaniel
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of the artist, half-length, in a lilac coat
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, P.R.A. (PLYMPTON 1723-1792 LONDON)
Portrait of Edwin, 2nd Baron Sandys (1726-1797), half-length, in a pink and green velvet waistcoat and jacket
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Elizabeth, Lady Forbes (c. 1750-1802), half-length, in a white dress and a pink mantle, with feathers, ribbons and pearls in her hair
Sir Joshua Reynolds (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of the artist, half-length, in a dark green coat, with a white cravat and spectacles
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Devon 1723-1778)
Portrait of James Hay (1726-1778), 15th Earl of Erroll, full-length, in Coronation robes, holding the baton of the Lord High Constable of Scotland, a balustrade and a tree beyond
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plymton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Master Hare, or "Infancy"
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Elizabeth Falconer, Mrs. Stanhope, as Contemplation, three-quarter-length, in a white satin dress, before a draped curtain
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Francis Basset, later 1st Baron de Dunstanville and Basset (1757-1835), standing three-quarter-length, in a red suit and undergraduate robes, a mortar-board on the wall beside him
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of the Hon. John Tufton (1773-1799), full-length, in green classical dress, playing with a spaniel in a landscape
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (1723-1792)
Portrait of James Hay (1726-1778), 15th Earl of Erroll, full-length, in Coronation robes, holding the baton of the Lord High Constable of Scotland, a tree and a balustrade beyond
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Self-portrait of the artist, aged seventeen (recto ) , with a subsidiary study of Diana ( verso )
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of General William John Kerr, 5th Marquess of Lothian (1737-1815), styled Lord Newbottle and later Earl of Ancram, half-length
Attributed to Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London) and Studio
Portrait of Denis Daly (1747-1791), three-quarter-length, in a brown coat, buff striped waistcoat and brown breeches, leaning on a pedestal, with his tricorn hat, in a landscape
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Sir John St. Aubyn, 5th Bt., M.P. (1758-1839), half-length, in a dark coat and neckcloth
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, P.R.A. (PLYMTON 1732-1792 LONDON)
Portrait of Sir John Honywood (1757-1806), 4th Baronet, three-quarter-length, in a black coat, beside a tree with a dog
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Richard Boyle, 2nd Earl of Shannon (1727-1807), three-quarter-length, in a green waistcoat with gold trim and a grey coat, a tricorn under his left arm, in a landscape
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Mrs Collyear, half-length, in a pink dress, with a rose and a green sash
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Mrs. Thomas Edwards Freeman (1758-1782), three-quarter-length, in a white satin gown with a pink wrap, seated on a sofa in an interior
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London) and Studio
Portrait of Frederick William Ernest, Count von Schaumburg-Lippe (1724-1777), three-quarter-length, in the blue uniform of a Hanoverian Field Marshal with the ribbon of the Black Eagle of Prussia, a battle beyond
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, P.R.A (PLYMPTON 1723-1792 LONDON)
A young girl holding her cat, with a landscape in the distance
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Bridget Morris, later Mrs. Lockwood, half-length, in a white silk dress and blue robe with ermine trim
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Mrs Wells, three-quarter-length, seated, in a striped dress and straw hat
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Infant Academy: The Mob Cap
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Charles Colyear, 2nd Earl of Portmore (1700-1785), half-length, in a blue coat. with the badge and sash of the Order of the Thistle, a tricorn under his left arm
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of a lady, bust-length, with pearl earrings, unfinished
Attributed to Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of the artist
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, P.R.A (PLYMPTON 1723-1792 LONDON)
Portrait of General William John Kerr (1737-1815), 5th Marquess of Lothian, styled Lord Newbottle and later Earl of Ancram, half-length
After Sir Joshua Reynolds; and English School, 18th Century
Portrait of the artist, bust-length, in a red jacket ( recto ); and Portrait of gentleman, traditionally identified as Thomas Haden, in a brown jacket, sketching ( verso )
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton 1723-1792 London)
Girl with a bird
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, P.R.A. (PLYMPTON 1723-1792 LONDON)
Portrait of George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend (1724-1807), half-length, in armour
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Admiral Thomas Cotes, half-length, in flag Officer's uniform
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, P.R.A. (PLYMPTON, DEVON 1723-1792 LONDON)
Portrait of Lady Dashwood (1763-1796), seated, half-length, and her son, Henry George Mayne (1782-1803)
FOLLOWER OF SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, P.R.A.
Portrait of Miss Ridge, bust-length
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of William Bagot, later 1st Baron Bagot (1728-1798), half-length, in a grey coat with a blue waistcoat, in a feigned oval
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, P.R.A. (PLYMPTON 1723-1792 LONDRES)
Esquisse pour le portrait de Lady Stanhope
Studio (?) of Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Catherine Schindlerin, bust-length, in a black coat and white neck and head scarf with pink bows, holding a muff, in a feigned oval
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P. R. A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Emilia Vansittart (1778-1791), half-length, in a pink and white dress, holding a dog, in a painted oval
Follower of Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A.
Portrait of a lady, traditionally identified as Miss Anna Maria Patten, half-length, with her spaniel in a landscape
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton, Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of an officer, half-length, in a green waistcoat, red jacket and lace cravat
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Field Marshal Charles Moore, 6th Earl and 1st Marquess of Drogheda (1730-1822), half-length, in the uniform of the 19th Light Dragoons, his left hand resting on a plumed helmet placed on a plinth
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Montagu Edmund Parker (1737–1813), bust-length, in a blue frock coat and red velvet collar with gold buttons, in a feigned oval
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Emma Gilbert (1729-1807), later Countess of Mount Edgcumbe, half-length, in a pink dress with lace trim, an oyster satin wrap, and bonnet with pink ribbons
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, P.R.A. (PLYMPTON, DEVON 1723-1792 LONDON)
Portrait of Mrs. Elizabeth Bradshaw, née Wilson (d. 1802), half-length, in a white silk dress with an ermine-lined blue cloak
Sir Joshua Reynolds P.R.A. (Devon 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Robert Cunninghame Graham (1735-1797), bust-length