Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) painter and first President of the Royal Academy: Self Portrait

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

Joshua Reynolds was the dominant artistic personality during the age of George III. He was born in Plympton, Devon. From 1750 to 1752 he studied the work of the Old Masters in Rome. Reynolds returned via Florence and Paris, and settled in London in 1753. In 1759 he painted a portrait of the future king, George, Prince of Wales (Royal Collection). After George’s accession the following year, Reynolds was dismayed to learn that Allan Ramsay had been made Principal Painter to the King. This marked the beginning of increasing hostility between Reynolds and the King. Nonetheless, by 1760 Reynolds had established himself as the leading portraitist. He became President of the Royal Academy in 1768 and was knighted the following year.
Valentine Green, engraver of portraits and historical subjects after works by his contemporaries, was born at Salford, Worcestershire. He was intended for a career at the Bar, but without his father’s consent, became apprenticed to an obscure line engraver in Worcester. When he came to London in 1765 he began working in mezzotint and engraved nearly 400 plates over the next 40 years. In 1775 he was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy and was appointed Mezzotint Engraver to George III. In 1789 he obtained the exclusive privilege of engraving the pictures of the Dusseldorf, but was ruined when the city was besieged in 1798. In 1805 he was made Keeper of the newly founded British Institution, a post he retained until his death.

People

Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723 - 1792)

Places

Subjects

painter, artist (as Subject), bust (as Subject), sculpture (as Subject), male portrait, self-portrait, 18th century costume, academy

Materials & Techniques

mezzotint

Artist

Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723 - 1792)
Valentine Green (1739 - 1813)

Title

Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) painter and first President of the Royal Academy: Self Portrait

Date

published 1 December 1780

Medium

Mezzotint

Dimensions

height: 52.40 cm, width: 42.10 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Grosvenor Prints, May 2002

Provenance

With Grosvenor Prints, London; from whom purchased by the Government Art Collection in May 2002

GAC number

17708