Led by art historian Eric Shanes

Saturday 4 June 2005, 10.30–16.30

A brilliant portraitist, a highly respected theorist and the first President of The Royal Academy of Arts, Joshua Reynolds was among the most celebrated artists of his day. His sitters included famous figures such as the writer Samuel Johnson, the actors David Garrick and Mrs Siddons, and the political philosopher Edmund Burke, as well as countless courtesans, aristocrats and military leaders. He was also a skilled networker and impresario, and through his paintings, his friendships and his manipulation of the media, he was a driving force in the creation of the modern-day cult of the celebrity. This study day, with Eric Shanes, examines the principal themes within Reynolds's life and work, his importance within the Royal Academy and the influence of his teaching, within the context of Tate Britain's major retrospective of the artist's work.

Tate Britain  Auditorium
£30 (£20 concessions), booking recommended
Price includes entry to the exhibition

    

This event is related to the Joshua Reynolds: The Creation of Celebrity exhibition