Table-Talk · Character

Sir Joshua Reynolds

The painter whose presence haunts Hazlitt's thoughts on genius and originality, invoked as a standard for how greatness should be seen and judged.

supporting

Also known as Sir Joshua, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Reynolds, Joshua Reynolds, himself

First appearance: On Certain Inconsistencies in Sir Joshua Reynolds's Discourses

As a supporting figure in Table-Talk, Sir Joshua Reynolds is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mentioned as a contrasting authority on art; Hazlitt disagrees with his view that perfection lies in general appearances without individual details.

In the storyOn the Pleasure of PaintingOpen this moment free

See Sir Joshua Reynolds in On the Pleasure of Painting Book page

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Reynolds hovers in the background of Hazlitt's reflections on intellectual superiority—the man who knew more and saw farther, and paid for it by being misunderstood. Hazlitt's essay on the disadvantages of such superiority reads like a meditation on Reynolds's fate: to stride so far ahead that you dwindle in the distance, to be treated as a foreign species by the common herd. He matters because he gives a face to the loneliness of the original mind, the very condition Hazlitt fears and defends.

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See Sir Joshua Reynolds in On Certain Inconsistencies in Sir Joshua Reynolds's Discourses

Character Web

22 connections

A slice of how Sir Joshua Reynolds sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Other

Character groups

Literary and Artistic Circle
Protagonist
Writers and Thinkers
Sports and Theater

+17 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This passage marks the dramatic climax because it reveals the central psychological reversal: the lady who sco…

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Relationships

William Hazlitt
professional · ambivalent
Hazlitt, as an art critic and painter, frequently referenced and debated Reynolds'… How this plays out →
William Hazlitt
professional · ambivalent
Hazlitt, as an art critic and painter, frequently referenced and debated Reynolds'… How this plays out →
William Hazlitt
professional · ambivalent
Hazlitt, as an art critic and painter, frequently referenced and debated Reynolds'… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Sir Joshua Reynolds in On Certain Inconsistencies in Sir Joshua Reynolds's Discourses

In the story

Sir Joshua Reynolds appears across 12 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

On the Pleasure of Painting
Mentioned as a contrasting authority on art; Hazlitt disagrees with his view that perfection lies in general appearances without individual details.
The Same Subject Continued
Referenced indirectly through the mention of Richardson's Essays, which Hazlitt cites in his argument.
On the Past and Future
Cited as an example of an artist who could never be comfortable away from his painting-room and died of chagrin when unable to paint.
On Genius and Common Sense
Quoted in support of the view that art addresses imagination and sensibility, not rational rules.
The Indian Jugglers
Cited as a painter whose artistic greatness surpasses mere mechanical perfection, despite being a 'bungler' compared to a ropedancer.
On Certain Inconsistencies in Sir Joshua Reynolds's Discourses
Hazlitt examines and critiques Reynolds's contradictory statements on genius, industry, and the nature of artistic excellence.
The Same Subject Continued
Hazlitt extensively quotes and critiques Reynolds's Discourses, highlighting contradictions in his theories on imitation, beauty, grandeur, and the role of detail in art.
On a Landscape of Nicolas Poussin
Mentioned implicitly in the context of artistic discourse; his Discourses are a touchstone for Hazlitt's critique of art theory.
On the Aristocracy of Letters
Mentioned in connection with a picture of Mr. Tomkins the Penman, which is the only place where Tomkins now figures.
On Criticism
Referenced indirectly through the discussion of connoisseurs and mechanical criticism of art.
On Corporate Bodies
Mentioned as having to hold himself aloof from the Royal Academy's internal politics.
Endnotes
Quoted and discussed in notes on art and criticism.

Chapter companion notes

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See Sir Joshua Reynolds in On Certain Inconsistencies in Sir Joshua Reynolds's Discourses

See Sir Joshua Reynolds in On the Pleasure of Painting