Whose Grandfather was the Vicar of St Thomas the Apostle Church?
An example of Reynolds's work: Captain Charles Proby (1725-1799) by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), 1753
© Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter. RAMM Accession No. 51/1955
St. Thomas' Church, Exeter by Anon. (English School, 19th century), 1855
© Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter. RAMM Accession No. 441/1980
A creative link to Cowick Street...
By Penny Sexton, Assistant Curator of Art, RAMM
Sir Joshua Reynolds was a portrait and history painter, who was born in Plympton, Devon in 1723 and grew up within a short distance of the naval dockyards in Plymouth. He was the son of Samuel Reynolds, a well-respected clergyman and schoolmaster in Plymouth.
In 1740 he was sent to London to study art and here he was apprenticed to painter Thomas Hudson. However, other artists such as, Rembrandt, William Hogarth and Allan Ramsay had the most influence on his painting. Reynolds very much admired the work of Rembrandt, because of his use of dramatic contrasts of light and shadow.
After a period in Rome (1749-52), Reynolds returned to England where he developed a reputation as one of country's leading portrait painters.
When the Royal Academy of Art was established in 1768, Reynolds was elected its first president and the following year he was knighted.
In 1784 Reynolds was appointed as painter to King George III, but in 1789 he began to lose his sight and unfortunately had to give up painting.
Sir Joshua Reynolds died in London in 1792 and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral.
But, what does this have to do with West Exe?
Rev. John Reynolds, the Grandfather of Sir Joshua Reynolds, was, in 1662, the Vicar of St Thomas the Apostle Church, Exeter and he is buried in the graveyard of the church.
The St Thomas the Apostle Church, on Cowick Street, dates from 1657 and was built of local red sandstone. During the 19th-century, various additions were made to the church, and unfortunately in 1942 bombing destroyed one of the stained glass windows, but luckily it was replaced in 1951.
(See: http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/EM/_churches/churches_2.php for more information)
The watercolour illustration of the church (shown above) is not by Sir Joshua Reynolds, but is by an anonymous artist and it was painted in 1855.
Why not go and visit the church? Is it possible to find out how much it has changed since 1662 (during Rev. John Reynolds's time) and also what changes have been made to the church since 1855, when this watercolour was painted?
The Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery have three oil paintings by Reynolds and six oil paintings attributed to Reynolds in the fine art collection. We also have 66 prints (mezzotints and engravings) by Reynolds.