| Portrait of Joshua Reynolds | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Gilbert Stuart |
| Year | 1784 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, portrait painting |
| Dimensions | 91.6 cm× 76.4 cm(36.1 in× 30.1 in) |
| Location | National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. |
Portrait of Joshua Reynolds is a 1784 portrait painting by the American artist Gilbert Stuart. It depicts the British painter Sir Joshua Reynolds, the President of the Royal Academy. Reynolds was a leading portraitist and had been a founder of the Royal Academy and became its first president 1768. [1] While he produced a number of self-portraits, Reynolds rarely posed for other artists. [2] It was noted for its inclusion of a snuff box rather than an artist's palette or brushes that might have been expected in a depiction of a well-known artist. [3]
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Reynold sat for the painting in July 1784. [4] The painting was commissioned by John Boydell and was exhibited at the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in 1786. It was one of fifteen portraits of celebrated artists displayed in the gallery. [2] Today it is the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., having been acquired in 1942. [5]
