Grand Manner (also referred to as the "grand style") is a term in art history describing an idealized aesthetic style derived from classical art and the art of the High Renaissance. It was given particular currency by the English painter Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts, who extensively discussed the concept in his Discourses on Art—a series of fifteen lectures delivered to Academy students between 1769 and 1790.
Origins and Definition
The term "grand manner" (or "grand style") emerged from the academic art theory that developed in Europe from the 17th century onward. It was rooted in the writings of the Italian art theorist Giovanni Pietro Bellori (1613–1696), who in his Lives of the Modern Painters, Sculptors and Architects (1672) advocated an idealized, classical approach to painting. Bellori argued that artists should "form in their minds an example of superior beauty and, reflecting on it, improve upon nature until it is without fault."
Reynolds adapted this concept for an English audience. In his Fourth Discourse (1771), he argued that painters should not slavishly copy nature but instead seek a generalized and ideal form. This approach, he said, "gives what is called the grand style to invention, to composition, to expression, and even to colouring and drapery."
Key Characteristics
The Grand Manner style is characterized by:
- Classical influence: Drawing on the styles of ancient Greek and Roman art, as well as Italian Renaissance masters such as Raphael, Michelangelo, and the Carracci.
- Idealization: The pursuit of faultless, noble forms rather than the precise imitation of nature or everyday life.
- Minimal detail: Backgrounds and ornamental detail were reduced; individual peculiarities of physiognomy were eliminated.
- Noble drapery: Draperies were to be simple, ample, and noble; fashionable contemporary costume was generally avoided in favor of classical or timeless attire.
- Elevated subject matter: The style was originally reserved for history painting (the highest-ranked genre in academic theory), which depicted subjects from classical history, mythology, the Bible, or literature.
Application to Portraiture
Reynolds's most significant innovation was adapting the Grand Manner from history painting to portraiture. He argued that if the same standards of excellence were applied to portraiture, it could compete on equal critical footing with history painting. This gave rise to the "high art portrait" or "swagger portrait"—life-sized depictions of sitters in classical poses, often set against idealized landscapes or architectural backdrops, with visual metaphors intended to suggest noble qualities.
Art historian Cecil Gould described Reynolds's vision: "Landscape backgrounds or ornamental detail must be reduced to a minimum and individual peculiarities of human physiognomy absolutely eliminated. Draperies should be simple, but ample and noble, and fashionable contemporary costume absolutely shunned."
Historical Development
17th-Century Precursors
The Grand Manner's roots lie in the work of the Carracci family (Annibale, Agostino, and Ludovico) in late 16th-century Bologna and Rome, who rejected Mannerist artificiality in favor of a return to classical naturalism. Annibale Carracci's fresco cycle The Loves of the Gods (1597–1601) in the Farnese Palace was regarded by Bellori as the epitome of this revival.
The Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641), who worked as court painter to King Charles I of England, established a template for aristocratic portraiture that directly influenced the later Grand Manner. His "cavalier style" portraits, conveying grandeur through lively movement, color, and elegant poses, became known as precursors to the "swagger portrait."
18th-Century British School
The Grand Manner reached its fullest expression in 18th-century Britain. Reynolds's portraits, such as Colonel Acland and Lord Sydney: The Archers (1769), exemplified the style by depicting contemporary figures in invented chivalric or classical guises. Thomas Gainsborough, Reynolds's great rival, brought a more informal and poetic approach, as seen in Mr and Mrs William Hallett ("The Morning Walk") (1785).
American Grand Manner
The style crossed the Atlantic through American artists who studied in London, including Gilbert Stuart, John Singleton Copley, John Trumbull, and Thomas Sully. These artists used the Grand Manner to portray the leaders of the American Revolution and the founders of the new republic in a heroic, idealized light. Gilbert Stuart's portraits of George Washington—particularly the "Lansdowne" portrait (1796)—are among the most iconic examples, depicting the first president with classical columns, symbolic drapery, and an oratorical gesture evoking Roman emperors.
Later Developments
The Grand Manner continued into the 19th century through artists such as Thomas Lawrence and John Singer Sargent. Sargent's Madame X (1883–84) brought the Grand Manner into the modern era, combining classical allusions with Impressionistic technique and a sharp psychological portrayal of the sitter.
The style began to decline at the end of the 19th century, as it came to be seen as pretentious and outdated. However, its influence persisted in fashion photography, with photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, and Annie Leibovitz drawing on Grand Manner conventions.
Legacy
The Grand Manner had a profound impact on national cultural consciousness, particularly in Britain and the United States, helping to define the visual identity of empire and republic alike. Reynolds's Discourses on Art shaped the development of art education for generations. In contemporary art, the Grand Manner has been revisited with irony by artists such as Cindy Sherman (in her 2008 "society portraits") and reimagined by artists like Kehinde Wiley, who adapts the conventions of grand portraiture to depict contemporary Black subjects.
