• Was born to the wealthy family• At twelve he was apprenticed to

Thomas Hudson• In 1784 he became principal

painter to the king. • Executed more than 300 portraits

• Was the first to conceive his portraits in terms of history-painting

• Had a personal creative power and a faculty of painting

• His colours were not scientifically applied

The Portrait of Lord Heathfield of Gibraltar

• In 1775 George Elliott was appointed Governor of Gibraltar

• During the siege of 1779-1783 held the British fortress against the Spanish and French military forces

• The veteran stands immovable• A strained but noble face

expression• Possesses a robust personality and

a stumpy figure

• Reynolds was a consummate producer of character

• His sitters were not effigies • Reynolds moulded his artistic

personality and pictorial mastery• He immensely strived for raising

the prestige of the British painters to the peak