Members of the Society of Dilettanti

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After Joshua Reynolds
Members of the Society of Dilettanti
1821

About the Item

Original 1821 Mezzotint engraved by Charles Turner after the painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds. It was engraved after the first of a two-part painting series in which Reynolds portrayed his fellow members of the Dilettanti Society for their club rooms. These seven men are identified in print under image: Lord Mulgrave; Lord Dundas; Lord Seaforth; Honourable Charles Crowle Esq, Duke of Leeds; and Sir Joseph Banks. They are seated or standing around a table. Two wine bottles stand on the table and several of the men hold wine glasses in their hands. Three of the men hold gems in their hands. The two Reynolds paintings are still owned by the Dilettanti Society and hang in the exclusive club Brooks's (St. James, London). Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723 – 1792) was an English painter, specializing in portraits. He was one of the major European painters of the 18th century, promoting the "Grand Style" in painting often associated with the idealization of the imperfect. In addition to ambitious full-length portraits, Reynolds painted large numbers of smaller works. He was a founder and first president of the Royal Academy of Arts, and was knighted by George III in 1769. In 1766 Reynolds was elected to the Society of Dilettanti, a British society of noblemen and scholars that sponsored the study of ancient Greco-Roman art, and the creation of new work the Neo-Classical style. Though the exact date is unknown, the Society is believed to have been established as a gentlemen's club in 1734 in the tradition of the "Grand Tour", the 17th- and 18th-century custom of sending upper-class young European men of on an extended tour of Greco-Roman culture sites in Italy and Greece . The society had 60 members, elected by secret ballot. It made annual donations to the British Schools in Rome and Athens, and set up a special fund in 1984 to provide financial assistance for visits to classical sites and museums. Image size 19 x 14 inches.

Creator:
After Joshua Reynolds
Creation Year:
1821
Dimensions:
Height: 19 in (48.26 cm)Width: 14 in (35.56 cm)
Medium:
Mezzotint
Movement & Style:
Realist
Period:
1820-1829
Condition:
Gallery Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU5185026942