DOI chapter:
Painters, Sculptors, Architects, Engravers, and their Works
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61295#0524
502
REYNOLDS.
Boydell undertook to establish his Shakespeare Gall., Sir Joshua
chose three subjects for himself, the “Death of Cardinal Beaufort,”
“ Macbeth with the Witches,” and “ Puck,” which last is one of his
happiest efforts. In 1782 he experienced a slight shock of paralysis,
but was afterwards quite well until 1789, when his sight was so
defective that he feared he might become blind, and from this time
relinquished the use of the brush. He was sick about three months
before his death, and died on the 23d of February, 1792. His
remains, after lying in state at the Royal Acad., were buried at St.
Paul’s, near the tomb of Sir Christopher Wren. As a portrait
painter, and particularly as a painter of children, he is almost un-
equalled, but in historical or poetical compositions he falls far below
the standard of excellence. It was his custom to receive six sitters
daily. He kept a list of those who were sitting, and of those who
were waiting for an opportunity to be painted. He kept prints
engraved from his portraits and sketches in a large portfolio, and
submitted it to his sitters. When they had chosen the position which
they wished, he copied it on the canvas, and painted the likeness to
correspond. At the height of his success he was accustomed to paint
a portrait in four hours. His sitters’ chairs moved on casters, and
were raised a foot and a half above the floor. He worked standing,
with great* rapidity, and used brushes with
handles eighteen inches
long. His sister pre-
sided over his house-
hold, and he lived gen-
erously, receiving com-
pany to dinner almost
daily, and among his
visitors were the best
men of the time. His
friendship for Dr. John-
son continued through
life. Percy, Goldsmith,
Garrick, and the Burkes
were frequently his
guests. The day be-
fore Johnson died he
said, “I have three
requests to make, and
I beg that you will
attend to them, Sir
Joshua : forgive me £30
which I borrowed of
LEAR. A STUDY. BY SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, , . c .
you, read the Scrip-
tures, and abstain from using your pencil on the Sabbath Day.”
Sir Joshua made and remembered these promises. Reynolds was
REYNOLDS.
Boydell undertook to establish his Shakespeare Gall., Sir Joshua
chose three subjects for himself, the “Death of Cardinal Beaufort,”
“ Macbeth with the Witches,” and “ Puck,” which last is one of his
happiest efforts. In 1782 he experienced a slight shock of paralysis,
but was afterwards quite well until 1789, when his sight was so
defective that he feared he might become blind, and from this time
relinquished the use of the brush. He was sick about three months
before his death, and died on the 23d of February, 1792. His
remains, after lying in state at the Royal Acad., were buried at St.
Paul’s, near the tomb of Sir Christopher Wren. As a portrait
painter, and particularly as a painter of children, he is almost un-
equalled, but in historical or poetical compositions he falls far below
the standard of excellence. It was his custom to receive six sitters
daily. He kept a list of those who were sitting, and of those who
were waiting for an opportunity to be painted. He kept prints
engraved from his portraits and sketches in a large portfolio, and
submitted it to his sitters. When they had chosen the position which
they wished, he copied it on the canvas, and painted the likeness to
correspond. At the height of his success he was accustomed to paint
a portrait in four hours. His sitters’ chairs moved on casters, and
were raised a foot and a half above the floor. He worked standing,
with great* rapidity, and used brushes with
handles eighteen inches
long. His sister pre-
sided over his house-
hold, and he lived gen-
erously, receiving com-
pany to dinner almost
daily, and among his
visitors were the best
men of the time. His
friendship for Dr. John-
son continued through
life. Percy, Goldsmith,
Garrick, and the Burkes
were frequently his
guests. The day be-
fore Johnson died he
said, “I have three
requests to make, and
I beg that you will
attend to them, Sir
Joshua : forgive me £30
which I borrowed of
LEAR. A STUDY. BY SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, , . c .
you, read the Scrip-
tures, and abstain from using your pencil on the Sabbath Day.”
Sir Joshua made and remembered these promises. Reynolds was