Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774)
Sir Joshua Reynolds PRA (Plympton 1723 - London 1792)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1770
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
749 x 622 mm (29 1/2 x 24 1/2 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Knole, Kent
NT 129929
Caption
The writer Oliver Goldsmith was a close friend of Reynolds. This portrait was painted in 1770, the year in which Goldsmith’s famous poem, The Deserted Village, was also published. It was purchased by the 3rd Duke in 1778 but is believed to have been originally painted for Reynolds himself. X-ray photography has revealed that the artist originally painted a lace collar. A replica portrait is in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774) by Sir Joshua Reynolds (Plympton 1723 - London 1792), circa 1770. A head-and-shoulders portrait, almost in profile to the left, wearing Van Dyck dress, with open white collar and cuffs and brown tippet. He holds a book in his right hand, held against his chest.
Provenance
On loan from the Trustees of the Sackville Estate
Makers and roles
Sir Joshua Reynolds PRA (Plympton 1723 - London 1792), artist