The charm of Reynolds

In Short

This biography examines the life, character, and artistic evolution of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the founding President of the Royal Academy. Tracing his journey from a precocious Devonshire boyhood through Italian travels to the height of London society, the volume details how his staggering output of thousands of portraits captured the leading thinkers, statesmen, and cultural figures of the eighteenth century. Despite the gradual decay of his experimental pigments, Reynolds remains a towering, profoundly human figure whose perceptive brushwork and critical discourses cemented a golden age for British art.

The Story

Born in Plympton, Devonshire, in 1723, Joshua Reynolds displays an early passion for art, turning away from his father's medical plans to study perspective and painting theory. Sent to London as a teenager to apprentice under Thomas Hudson, he endures a turbulent three-year tutelage before returning to Devonport to establish himself as a local portraitist. Patronage from figures like Lord Mount Edgecumbe provides him with crucial early support, eventually enabling a transformative journey to Italy in 1749 alongside Commodore Keppel. In Rome and other cultural hubs, Reynolds studies the old masters rigorously, analyzing the mechanics of their greatness rather than copying them slavishly. A fall in Minorca scars his face permanently, and a chill in the Vatican causes the deafness that marks him for life, but he returns to England fully equipped for supremacy. Settling in London, first in St Martin Street, then Great Newport Street, and finally at 47 Leicester Square, Reynolds launches his fortune with a striking portrait of Keppel. His studio quickly fills with sitters, ranging from statesmen like Edmund Burke and Charles James Fox to cultural icons like Dr Samuel Johnson and David Garrick. While his sister Frances manages a bustling household and advertises their prosperity with a gilded coach, Reynolds works tirelessly, developing a profound psychological insight into his male sitters while idealizing his female subjects through classical lenses. His social circle expands to include the finest intellects of the era, refining his manners and grounding his ambition. When the Royal Academy is established under the patronage of King George III, Reynolds is chosen as its first President, an institution he nurtured carefully while delivering celebrated discourses on art. He receives a knighthood, paints numerous royals and peers, and captures the uninhibited joy of childhood in masterpieces like The Age of Innocence. Though dogged by personal rivalries with Gainsborough and Romney, and maintaining a discreet private life, he rules the artistic landscape of eighteenth-century London. In July 1789, while painting in his Leicester Square studio, the sudden failure of his eyesight in one eye causes him to lay down his brushes forever. Declaring that all things have an end, he refuses to paint again during his remaining two and a half years, preferring to be judged by his past achievements. He passes away in 1792, mourned deeply by London society and buried with high pomp beside Sir Christopher Wren, leaving behind an unmatched artistic legacy that secures his unassailable position in British cultural history.

How It Unfolds

The early awakening The narrative opens in Devonshire, where a young Joshua masters perspective and painting theory before beginning a strict apprenticeship under Thomas Hudson in London. After a bitter falling out with his master, he returns to his native county to establish a local practice with the vital help of supportive regional patrons. This formative phase establishes his initial technical foundation.

The Italian transformation A pivotal journey to Italy alongside Commodore Keppel opens the artist's eyes to classical masterpieces and deepens his technical understanding significantly. During these formative years abroad, a severe chill contracted in the Vatican leaves him permanently deaf, yet he returns home fully equipped for professional dominance. He carefully studies old masters without resorting to slavish copying.

The London ascent Establishing his studio in the heart of London, Reynolds rapidly attracts a devoted following of statesmen, actors, and men of letters. His close association with intellectual giants like Dr Samuel Johnson refines his worldview, while his strategic diplomacy helps guide the turbulent founding of the Royal Academy of Arts. His sister Frances manages his busy household during this period of soaring prosperity.

The presidential tenure Assuming the presidency of the Royal Academy, Reynolds steers the institution through its infancy while contributing hundreds of canvases to its annual exhibitions. Alongside his administrative duties, he composes deeply influential discourses on art that remain accessible guides to his rigorous creative principles and working methods. He maintains his leadership despite behind-the-scenes competition and shifting artistic fashions.

The quiet conclusion The book chronicles his final active years until a sudden loss of vision in July 1789 prompts him to lay down his brushes for good. He spends his remaining time presiding over academic councils before his death in 1792, culminating in a solemn public burial beside Sir Christopher Wren. His vast output secures an unassailable historical standing.

The People

James Mason's volume highlights several key figures who shape the artistic world of Sir Joshua Reynolds. Reynolds himself seeks to master his craft and secure a lasting position of artistic supremacy, overcoming early gaps in education, personal snobbery, and the physical burdens of deafness. Through relentless hard work and intellectual association, he evolves from a raw country lad into a polished master of the world and the respected head of the Royal Academy. Dr Samuel Johnson, a towering intellect and friend, seeks truth and moral rigor, frequently cautioning Reynolds against worldly excess and Sunday painting while offering profound intellectual companionship. Thomas Hudson, Reynolds's early master in London, represents the rigid traditional limitations that the young artist must eventually break away from following a bitter quarrel. Lord Mount Edgecumbe acts as an essential early patron, recognizing Reynolds's raw talent and opening doors to foreign travel and elite society. Commodore Keppel facilitates the transformative journey to Italy, providing the young painter with the exact catalyst he needs to elevate his art. Finally, figures like Benjamin West and William Chambers navigate the complex institutional politics surrounding the birth of the Royal Academy, working alongside Reynolds to establish a formal home for British art. Each individual contributes to the trajectory of Reynolds's remarkable career, transforming local ambition into a permanent national asset.

In Its Own Voice

Reflecting on the physical decay that frequently affects many of the artist's finest canvases over time, the author notes the sobering verdict of a leading critic:

Speaking roughly, Sir Joshua's early pictures darken, the works of his middle period fade, those of his late maturity crack.

Describing the sudden and definitive conclusion to the painter's active professional career following the abrupt failure of his eyesight one morning, the text records his remarkably calm acceptance:

All things have an end, I have come to mine.

Highlighting the psychological depth and unique perception that defined his approach to capturing human character, the narrative explains how he looked upon his sitters:

with a dilated eye.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book explores the intersection of natural talent, relentless labor, and social ambition in the forging of artistic greatness. It investigates how an artist can rise above provincial limitations and technical experimentation—such as ephemeral glazes and failing pigments—to achieve permanent cultural significance. The volume questions the true nature of portraiture, arguing that a great portrait must transcend mere physical likeness to become a sincere psychological study of character. Furthermore, it examines the institutional evolution of British art, weighing the delicate balance between individual genius and cooperative establishment through the birth of the Royal Academy. Ultimately, the work reflects on the duties of an artist as both a skilled craftsman and a leading man of the world.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate art history, biographical portraits of the eighteenth century, and the rich interplay between creative genius and society will find much to love here. Reading the volume feels like walking through a quiet gallery alongside an informed, reflective guide who balances technical appreciation with warm human anecdote. What stays with you long after finishing is the striking image of Reynolds calmly laying down his brushes upon losing his sight, embodying the same quiet dignity he brought to his sitters. However, modern readers must navigate certain period attitudes and limitations, particularly the nineteenth-century prose style that occasionally leans into high-minded moralizing or accepts the rigid social conventions and double standards of its era regarding female sitters. Additionally, the text grapples frankly with the physical decay of Reynolds's experimental works, reminding us that even celebrated artistic masterpieces are vulnerable to the ravages of time. Despite these minor period constraints, the book offers an engaging, grounded portrait of a towering cultural figure whose dedication to his craft remains deeply inspiring today.