Silver - Cherubs' Choir

Sir Joshua Reynolds and the Cherubs Choir

Reynolds was born at Plympton, Devonshire, England in 1723. He moved to London in 1752 and became established as a portrait painter. He was elected as the foundation President of the Royal Academy and was knighted in 1768. In 1787, he exhibited pictures at the Royal Academy including a portrait that he originally called “A Cherub Head in Different Views”. This piece, later to become better known as “Angels’ Heads”, “Cherubs’ Heads” or “Cherub Choir”, was an inspiration to many silversmiths to decorate sterling silver lids to various glass pieces.

The picture was commissioned by Lord William and Lady Frances Gordon as a portrait of their only child, Miss Frances Isabella Gordon. Reynolds drew a picture of the child’s head in five different positions to reflect her changing moods. Grouping the heads in a circle, he added wings after the manner of the cherubs of the old Italian masters, surrounded them with clouds, and lighted the composition with a broad ray of light streaming diagonally across the canvas. The moods shown vary from thoughtful, a little puzzled, pensive or perhaps singing.

Reynolds died in 1792 and sadly Miss Frances died unmarried some 39 years later in 1831. Ten years later, her mother presented the picture to the English National Gallery where it can be seen today.