Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 08.djvu/29

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REYNOLDS 13 RHAMNACEJE full of valuable and well-considered in- struction, and, along with his papers on art in the "Idler," his annotations to Du Fresnoy's "Art of Painting," and his "Notes on the Art of the Low Coun- tries," show a correct and cultivated literary style. He contributed his pic- ture of Miss Morris as "Hope nursing Love" to the first exhibition of the Royal Academy, along with his portraits of the Duchess of Manchester, Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Crewe, and Mrs. Bouverie; and in 1771 completed his subject of "Count Ugolino and his Children in the Dungeon," usually regarded as his most successful effort in the direction of historical art. In 1784 he succeeded Allan Ramsay as painter to the king; in the same year he finished and exhibited his portrait of Mrs. Siddons as the "Tragic Muse," undoubtedly his greatest portrait, and in 1787 he undertook three subjects for Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery, executing "Puck," "The Witch Scene from Mac- beth," and "The Death of Cardinal Beau- fort." He suffered a slight attack of paraly- sis in 1782, and in 1789 his sight became affected. The following year was em- bittered by an unfortunate dispute with the Academy which led to his resigna- tion of the presidentship, a resolution which he afterward considered and re- scinded; and on Dec. 10, 1790, he de- livered his last "Discourse" to the stu- dents. He died Feb. 23, 1792. It is in virtue of his portraits that Reynolds ranks as the head of the Eng- lish school of art. In the dignity of their style, the power and expressiveness of their handling, the variety and ap- propriateness of their attitudes, in the beauty of their coloring and the delicacy of their flesh-painting, his portraits have never been surpassed. His efforts in the higher departments of historical and im- aginative art were less successful. In his technical methods Reynolds was un- fortunately most careless and uncertain. He was continually experimenting in new processes and untried combinations of pigments, with the result that even in his own lifetime his works deterio- rated, especially in their flesh-tints. Personally Reynolds was a man of fine and varied culture, and he was distin- guished by an exquisite urbanity, the expression of a most amiable and equa- ble disposition, which was exceptionally fitted to win and retain friendship. The first great collection of the works of Reynolds was brought together by the British Institution in 1813, and num- bered 142 pictures. His authentic works have been estimated by Taylor to num- ber between 2,000 and 3,000; and from these some 700 engravings have been B— executed, some of them — such as the mezzotints of J. R. Smith, John Dixon, William Dickinson, and James M'Ardell — ranking among the finest examples of the art. REYNOLDS, ROBERT M., lawyer and diplomat, was born in Muskingum co., Ohio, Aug. 30, 1826. He received a classical education, removed to Illinois in 1847, and to Iowa in 1851. There he was principal of an academy and a teacher of mathematics for ten years and also studied law. Married in 1850 Orpha W. Richardson, of La Harpe, Illinois. Had six children, four sons, two daugh- ters. He enlisted in the 1st Iowa Cav- alry in 1861 and became a veteran by re-enlistment in 1864. He was three times wounded in action and was mus- tered out of service as a brigadier gen- eral by brevet in 1865. In that year he settled in Alabama. He was a mem- ber of the state constitutional conven- tion of 1867 and was admitted to the bar at Montgomery, Ala. In 1868 he was elected auditor of the state, and served for more than four years. He was minister resident of the United States to Bolivia during 1874-77, and in 1878 was appointed first auditor of the U. S. treasury at Washington. Served as First Auditor in the Treasury until March, 1885. Died in St. Louis, June 2, 1885. RH.33TIA, a province of the Roman empire, which included great part of the Alpine regions between the valleys of the Danube and the Po, and corre- sponded with the districts occupied in modern times by the Austrian province of Tyrol and the Swiss canton of Gri- sons. The Rhaetians, who are generally supposed to have been of Etruscan ori- gin, were subdued by Drusus and Tibe- rius, 15 B. c; and shortly afterward Rhsetia was incorporated as a province in the Roman empire. During the last days of the Roman empire, when the barbarians devastated the provinces, Rhaetia was nearly depopulated; and after the fall of the Roman empire it was occupied by the Alemanni and Suevi. RHAMNACE.33, an order of plants, classed by Lindley under his 44th or Rhamnal alliance. The calyx, which is four or five cleft, is valvate. The petals are as many and inserted into the ori- fice of the calyx; sometimes they are wanting. The stamens are four or five, and opposite to the petals; fruit berried or dry. The flowers are small and gen- erally green. The order consists of trees and shrubs, often spiny. There are spe- cies in nearly all countries, with the exception of the Arctic zone. Known Cyc Vol 8