Reynolds, Joshua

ren'olz, Joshua (1723-1792), an English painter. He was the first president of the Royal Academy. He was a friend and intimate of Samuel Johnson and Edmund Burke, and a member of the famous Literary Club. We are indebted to Reynolds for the portraits of the distinguished London people of his day. At the height of his fame he painted a hundred portraits a year and employed many assistants. Many of his paintings are now worthless through use of poor paint. At death he was accorded burial in St. Paul's. See Painting; West