James Paine began his career in the circle of Lord Burlington, who promoted a classical style of architecture in Britain based on that of the Venetian architect, Andrea Palladio 0508-1580). Paine was the architect of many country houses, and here father and son study a plan of a pavilion for the 9th Duke of Norfolk at Worksop Manor. The colouring and design of the portrait, with a luminous sky seen through a grand opening and a richly covered table, is based on Venetian portraiture, notably Tintoretto and Veronese. Reynolds made a formative study visit to Italy from v50-52. The artist David Wilkie later observed ‘Would Reynolds have done what he did, if he had never seen Italy?’

Provenance: Bequeathed by James Paine Jr., 1834

Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
Material: Oil on canvas
Artist: Sir Joshua Reynolds PRA (1723-1792)
Date: 1764

Image Details
Date: 27 March 2025
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Wide Camera 26mm ƒ/1.8
Focal Length: 26mm
Aperture: ƒ/1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/50s
ISO: 320
Licensing: Image of an Ashmolean Museum asset. This image cannot be licensed.