Which writers and thinkers were friends of Joshua Reynolds?

Joshua Reynolds, a prominent 18th-century British portrait painter, preferred the company of men of letters over his fellow artists. Throughout his life, he maintained close friendships with many of the finest British authors and thinkers of his time.1

Among his most notable friends were:

• Samuel Johnson: A renowned writer with whom Reynolds co-founded The Club in 1764.12
• Edmund Burke: A distinguished philosopher and statesman who was also an original member of The Club.12
• Oliver Goldsmith: An Anglo-Irish author and playwright who was a member of Reynolds's intellectual circle.12

These associations were central to his social life, and he often painted portraits of his intimate friends.1