'This man was hired to depress art' sneered WILLIAM BLAKE at the autocratic, establishment figure of SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS , first President of the Royal
Academy of Arts. No English artist enjoyed greater fame in his own lifetime than
Reynolds, but today perhaps he commands more respect than affection.
A massive exhibition at the Royal Academy provides a chance to look again at a great artist who put high theatre into his pictures of the nobility of his age, and yet could paint intimate masterpieces of children. courtesans and writers.
With Rodrigo Moynihan. Roger de Grey , PRA,
Nicholas Penny,
David Sylvester , Michael Kitson. the Duke of Marlborough and Timothy West as the voice of Joshua Reynolds Rostrum camera JOE WATERS
Sound recordist MICHAEL TURNER Film cameraman PAUL v. WHEELER Film editor F.nwARI) ROBERTS Director CHRISTOPHER MARTIN