Recovery from Sickness, an Allegory

A mother comforts her sick child, holding their head protectively to her chest. Limp, pallid and with their eyes closed, this child appears close to death. The mother warily watches the danger unfolding to her left, her eyes meeting the hollow sockets of the skeletal figure of Death. The woman’s blue cloak provides a shield of protection, evoking depictions of Mary and Jesus found in Christian imagery. Death, in the guise of the Grim Reaper, holds a curved scythe in his left hand, ready to cut down a human life. His other hand covers his skull in defence of the blows emanating from the avenging angel that swoops down to drive him off. While the mother and child lean away from this struggle, the skeleton also stoops away from the angel. These opposing movements create a 'V' shaped section of negative space in the centre of the composition, dividing the painting into two halves representing life and death.

Though Joshua Reynolds (1723-92) was the leading English portraitist of the eighteenth century, his practice also included historical and allegorical subjects, as demonstrated by this painting. Influenced by historic painters of the Renaissance after having spent the years 1749-52 abroad, mainly in Italy, Reynolds returned to London to set up his studio. Recovery from Sickness, An Allegory appears to adapt a work by the Italian painter Salvator Rosa (1615-73), entitled Human Frailty, which is held today in The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Reynolds became the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, was the author of the influential Discourses on Art, and accepted the position of principal painter to King George III (1738-1820). This painting was acquired by Dulwich Picture Gallery’s founders at the sale of the contents of Reynolds’ studio in 1796, four years after his death.