Reynolds, Joshua, 1723-1792; 1755 sitter book

Includes the following material related to portraits represented in the 1755 sitter book:

-photograph of the verso of a portrait showing Reynolds' signature and date

-letter from Diane Stewart Love, dated 20 May 1967, concerning a portrait of 'portrait of a gentleman in a light blue suit' previously attributed to Gainsborough

-letter from Bob Jones, Bob Jones University, dated 21 May 1970, concerning a portrait of gentleman in a light blue suit

-letter from Edward Morris, Walter Art Gallery, dated 26 November 1969, concerning a portrait of Mrs Heywood and a copy of Mrs Hartley and Child in the collection. Also includes a copy of Waterhouse's reply

-letter from Patrick O'Connor, dated 12 January 1969, concerning a portrait of the Earl of Holderness

-letter from Evelyn Joll, Agnews, dated 4 May 1977, concerning a portrait of Mr Mangles seen in New York

-letter from Charles Young, Roy Miles Fine Paintings, dated 28 April 1977, concerning a portrait attributed to Gainsborough and a double portrait by George Beare

Open for research. Readers must fill in an 'Reader Agreement Form' which outlines the reading room rules and conditions concerning privacy and Data Protection

By the 1960s Waterhouse had identified that the next step in the serious study of the work of Joshua Reynolds was to publish the 'sitter books'. He identified the 1755 sitter book as being of particular interest both because it was the earliest book to survive and because it was the only volume of the series not in the Library of the Royal Academy of Arts. He set about the task of transcribing the 1755 volume and researching further the portraits represented. The results of this work were published in 1968 as: Waterhouse, E.K. (1968) 'Sir Joshua Reynolds' Sitter-Book of 1755'. The Walpole Society, Vol. 41, 1966-1968, pp112-167. [A copy is available in the Paul Mellon Centre's Library]