Joseph Banks Esq

Sir Joshua Reynolds is acknowledged as one of the world’s great portraitists, master of portraits in the ‘Grand Manner’, replete with moral and heroic symbolism. Reynolds studied in London and Rome before establishing himself as an artist in London, where he was at the height of his fame by 1760. In 1764 he founded the Literary Club, with Joseph Banks, Dr Johnson, James Boswell, Adam Smith, actor David Garrick and playwrights Richard Sheridan and Oliver Goldsmith amongst its members. The first President of the Royal Academy of Arts, Reynolds painted many of the stars of 18th century England.
The National Portrait Gallery, London, has many portraits in oil by him, and hundreds of prints after his portraits – including an example of this work, by bookseller and engraver William Dickinson, of the famous portrait of Banks by Reynolds, painted between 1771 and 1773. Described as ‘an incredible socialite, social climber and self-promoter’, Reynolds is buried in St Paul’s Cathedral. The inscription on the letter in this portrait reads CRAS INGENS ITERABIMUS AEQUOR, which the National Portrait Gallery, London translates as ‘tomorrow we'll sail the vasty deep again’.