Infant Academy, The Mob Cap 

Joshua Reynolds made this oil painting, Infant Academy, The Mob Cap, in England, likely sometime in the late 18th century. Reynolds's portraits often elevated his subjects through classical allusions, and here we see the beginnings of that approach even in a picture of a child. Reynolds was the first president of the Royal Academy, founded in 1768. That institution sought to professionalize the arts in Britain, in part by looking to the examples of Italy and France. The loose brushwork and idealized form of the child's body reflect Reynolds's study of the old masters. Yet the fashionable mob cap also firmly places the image in contemporary British society. The painting offers insight into the values and aspirations of the British elite. To truly understand this work, we can consult period writings on art theory, the records of the Royal Academy, and social histories of 18th-century Britain. Art, after all, reflects not only individual genius but also the world in which it was created.