John Wesley

John Wesley
John Wesley

1850-1900 / John Wesley / Lithograph / Paper / Print
Lithograph on paper
1800s

This print of John Wesley is marked 'Copyright Sir Joshua Reynolds'. This is a bit of a mystery. The lithograph is not by Joshua Reynolds, as Reynolds was a painter and contemporary of John Wesley, and the lithograph dates to the 1800s. Also, the quality of the image is not high, and the sitter is not portrayed in the 'style' of Joshua Reynolds. This makes it unlikely that this lithograph was worked after a genuine portrait of John Wesley by Joshua Reynolds.

It is possible, however, that the lithograph was made after a painting which, at the time, was thought of as a work by Joshua Reynolds. There are other engravings of John Wesley which claim to be after a painting by Reynolds. Sadly, no actual portrait of John Wesley painted by Joshua Reynolds is known.