A Luminary of the Enlightenment: The Life and Art of Sir Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds, born July 16, 1723, in Plympton, Devonshire, England—died February 23, 1792, London—was a pivotal figure during Britain’s burgeoning Enlightenment era. His father, Reverend Samuel Reynolds, instilled in him a profound appreciation for scholarship and intellectual pursuits, guiding young Joshua toward the path of academia before an undeniable…