National Portrait Gallery - Person

Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), Painter and first President of the Royal Academy

Sitter associated with 38 portraits
Artist associated with 1413 portraits
Reynolds led the eighteenth-century art world as first President of the Royal Academy as a Britain's leading portrait painter. In his attempt to raise the status of portraiture, he created the 'Grand Manner' which borrowed from classical antiquity and the Old Masters to fill his portraits with moral and heroic symbolism. An incredible socialite, social climber and self-promoter, Reynolds used his contacts to advance himself. Appointed President of the newly established Royal Academy in 1768, his annual lectures - or Discourses on Art - had a lasting impact on the contemporary theory of art and practice.

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Sir Joshua Reynolds

by Sir Joshua Reynolds
oil on canvas, circa 1747-1749
On display in Room 12 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 41

Unknown man, formerly known as Sir Joshua Reynolds

by Unknown artist
oil on copper, circa 1770
NPG 1761b

The Academicians of the Royal Academy

by John Sanders, after Johan Joseph Zoffany
watercolour and ink, (1772)
NPG 1437

Key to 'The Academicians of the Royal Academy'

by John Sanders, after Johan Joseph Zoffany
pencil, circa 1773
NPG 1437a

Unknown man, formerly known as Sir Joshua Reynolds

by Unknown artist
oil on canvas, circa 1775
NPG 927

Sir William Chambers; Joseph Wilton; Sir Joshua Reynolds

by John Francis Rigaud
oil on canvas, 1782
On display in Room 12 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 987

Sir Joshua Reynolds

by D.P. Pariset, sold by Ryland and Bryer, sold by and after Pierre-Étienne Falconet
stipple engraving, (1768)
NPG D20563

The Academicians of the Royal Academy

by Richard Earlom, after Johan Joseph Zoffany
mezzotint, published 1773
NPG D21304

Sir Joshua Reynolds

by and published by Valentine Green, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1 December 1780 (1780)
NPG D39705

Sir Joshua Reynolds

by and published by John Keyse Sherwin, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, 1784 (1775)
NPG D34871

Sir Joshua Reynolds

by and published by John Keyse Sherwin, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, 1784 (1774?)
NPG D14270

Sir Joshua Reynolds

by Samuel William Reynolds, published by Peter Brown, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1 January 1796 (circa 1747-1749)
NPG D4022

'Titianus Redivivus; - or - the seven-wise-men consulting the new Venetian oracle'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 2 November 1797
NPG D13085

Sir Joshua Reynolds

by George Clint, published by Lewis Wells, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1 November 1799 (1788)
NPG D4021

Sir Joshua Reynolds

by Henry Bone, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, April 1804 (circa 1780)
NPG D17345

Sir Joshua Reynolds

by Henry Meyer, published by T. Cadell & W. Davies, after Moses Haughton the Younger, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple engraving, published 8 May 1809 (1780)
NPG D13933

Sir Joshua Reynolds

by Robert Cooper, published by Henry Colburn, after John Jackson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple engraving, published 24 June 1813 (circa 1747-1749)
NPG D5804