How did Joshua Reynolds's style change after 1760?

After 1760, the artistic style of Joshua Reynolds underwent a notable shift toward a more classical and self-conscious approach. This transition was driven by his growing interest in the Bolognese school of 17th-century classical Baroque painting and the broader archaeological fascination with Greco-Roman antiquity that was then prevalent across Europe.1

As a result of these influences, the poses and attire of his subjects adopted a more rigid, antique pattern. This stylistic evolution often came at the expense of the sympathy and naturalistic understanding that characterized his earlier works. Additionally, during the 1760s, Reynolds began incorporating bitumen or coal-based substances into his pigments, a technical choice that ultimately proved detrimental to the longevity and surface quality of his paintings.1