Theophilia Gwatkin1776–81
Joshua Reynolds painted this in 1776–81, aged about 53. It is now at the Art Institute of Chicago. More about this work
About this work
A work made of oil on canvas.
Description from the Art Institute of Chicago.
Joshua Reynolds painted this in 1776–81, aged about 53. It is now at the Art Institute of Chicago.
How it was made
- Oil paint
- Pigment ground in a drying oil, usually linseed. It dries slowly, so painters could blend on the canvas, build up thin translucent glazes, and rework a picture over weeks. Canvas replaced wooden panels in the 1500s because it is lighter and can be rolled.
Joshua Reynolds
English, 1723–1792 · Born in Plympton; died in London.
Reynolds trained in London under Thomas Hudson, then spent two years in Italy studying the old masters, an experience that shaped his ambition to raise portraiture to the dignity of history painting. He became the leading portraitist of Georgian society and, in 1768, the first President of the Royal Academy. His Discourses to its students set out the principles of the Grand Manner and remained influential long after his death.
Written by Ochre Editions.
Rights and the museum’s record
Public domain. The Art Institute of Chicago has dedicated this image to the public domain under CC0, so anyone may copy, adapt and use it, for any purpose, without asking. Our prints and files are reproductions made from the museum’s image; the museum doesn’t endorse them.
- Object number
- 2019.1236
- Credit
- Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
- Type
- Painting
- Department
- Painting and Sculpture of Europe
- Licence
- CC0 1.0 Universal
- Museum record
- See it on the museum’s site
