Joshua Reynolds: Experiments In Paint

Exhibition at the Wallace Collection, London, 12 March - 7 June 2015

One of Britain's most important and influential painters, Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) is justly celebrated for his dynamic portraiture, his poignant 'fancy pictures', his ambitious history paintings and his role as the first President of Britain's Royal Academy.

The result of the four-year research project, this exhibition catalogue focuses on Reynolds's innovative, often highly experimental approaches to the practice and materials of painting. It investigates his radical manipulation of pigments, oils, glazes and varnishes, traces his experiments with colour, tone and handling, and reveals his continual temptation to rework and revise his pictures.