DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68073#0368
342 OLD WORLD MASTERS
Fox; and it was his own intimate friend of nearly thirty years stand-
ing, Admiral Keppel, whose trial in this very year 1778, formed the
central battle-ground between the Court and the popular party. In
all these things Reynolds was intimately concerned, as he was in the
lighter events of social life, with his constant dinner-parties at Leices-
ter Fields, his still more constant attendance at the tables of the great
and the assemblies of Mrs. Montagu and Mrs. Ord, his outings to
Streatham, and his mild flirtation with 'Little Burney.’ But Romney
lived remote, as remote in his shyness and isolation as Gainsborough
lived in his fondness for a Bohemian world—the world of artists that
painted and played and left war to the soldiers and politics to the
politician. It is true that a couple of years afterwards politics were
brought pretty closely home to both of them, as they were, nolentibus
volentibus, to all the householders in London. The Keppel riots in
1778, celebrating the acquittal of the popular Admiral, were festive
and pleasant enough; noblemen and gentlemen went out with the
crowd; young Pitt, it is said, helped to break Lord North’s windows;
and young Rogers, the banker-poet, to unhinge the gates of the
Admiralty. This was very well and very pleasant; but two years
later the mob improved upon their lesson, and in the Lord George
Gordon Riots London was ablaze.”
THE STRAWBERRY GIRL.
Sir Joshua Reynolds Collection of
{lysj-iyps). Mrs. Francis F. Prentiss.
James Northcote in his Life of Sir Joshua Reynolds notes: “The
picture of a little Strawberry Girl was painted about this time (1775?)
and he considered it one of his best works, observing that no man
ever could produce more than about half a dozen really original works
in his life; “and this picture,” he added, “is one of mine.”
This little girl is about three years old and is shown at three-quarter
length with a handkerchief folded around her head after the fashion
of a turban, the curls escaping from her forehead. She wears a light-
Fox; and it was his own intimate friend of nearly thirty years stand-
ing, Admiral Keppel, whose trial in this very year 1778, formed the
central battle-ground between the Court and the popular party. In
all these things Reynolds was intimately concerned, as he was in the
lighter events of social life, with his constant dinner-parties at Leices-
ter Fields, his still more constant attendance at the tables of the great
and the assemblies of Mrs. Montagu and Mrs. Ord, his outings to
Streatham, and his mild flirtation with 'Little Burney.’ But Romney
lived remote, as remote in his shyness and isolation as Gainsborough
lived in his fondness for a Bohemian world—the world of artists that
painted and played and left war to the soldiers and politics to the
politician. It is true that a couple of years afterwards politics were
brought pretty closely home to both of them, as they were, nolentibus
volentibus, to all the householders in London. The Keppel riots in
1778, celebrating the acquittal of the popular Admiral, were festive
and pleasant enough; noblemen and gentlemen went out with the
crowd; young Pitt, it is said, helped to break Lord North’s windows;
and young Rogers, the banker-poet, to unhinge the gates of the
Admiralty. This was very well and very pleasant; but two years
later the mob improved upon their lesson, and in the Lord George
Gordon Riots London was ablaze.”
THE STRAWBERRY GIRL.
Sir Joshua Reynolds Collection of
{lysj-iyps). Mrs. Francis F. Prentiss.
James Northcote in his Life of Sir Joshua Reynolds notes: “The
picture of a little Strawberry Girl was painted about this time (1775?)
and he considered it one of his best works, observing that no man
ever could produce more than about half a dozen really original works
in his life; “and this picture,” he added, “is one of mine.”
This little girl is about three years old and is shown at three-quarter
length with a handkerchief folded around her head after the fashion
of a turban, the curls escaping from her forehead. She wears a light-