Reynolds, Joshua (1723-1792)

A Discourse Delivered to the Students of the Royal Academy [Discourses on Art]

London

Printed by Thomas Cadell

December 10, 1782; 1783

"I only wish to impress on your minds the true distinction between essential and subordinate powers, and shew what qualities in the art claim your chief attention, and what may, with the least injury to your reputation, be neglected."

I must here observe, that I am not recommending a neglect of the detail; indeed it would be difficult, if not impossible, to prescribe certain bounds, and tell how far, or when it is to be observed or neglected; much must, at last, be left to the taste and judgment of the Artist. I am well aware how a judicious detail will sometimes give the force of truth to the work, and consequently interest the spectator. I only wish to impress on your minds the true distinction between essential and subordinate powers, and shew what qualities in the art claim your chief attention, and what may, with the least injury to your reputation, be neglected; something, perhaps, always must be neglected; the lesser ought then to give way to the greater, and since every work can have but a limited time allotted to it, for even supposing a whole life to be employed about one picture, it is still limited; it appears more reasonable to employ that time to the best advantage, in contriving various methods of composing the work; of trying different effects of light and shade; and employing the labour of correction, in heightening by a judicious adjustment of the parts the effects of the whole, than that the time should be taken up in minutely finishing those parts.
(pp. 16-17)

Impressions

Reading

From 1769 to 1772 Reynolds' lectures were delivered annually, with each discourse published shortly after its delivery. After 1772, the lectures were delivered biennially. The first seven discourses were collected and published together in 1778. In 1797, the first collected edition of all fifteen appeared, with a second edition issued in 1798. See the ODNB.

Text from A Discourse Delivered to the Students of the Royal Academy, on the Distribution of the Prizes, December 10, 1782, by the President. (London: Printed by Thomas Cadell, 1783). <Link to ECCO>

07/25/2013