Sir Joshua Reynolds - Commodore Augustus Keppel, 1949 and 1752 andSelf-portrait as a Deaf Man

Reynolds met naval officer Augustus Keppel in 1749; the two struck such a good friendship that soon the commodore invited his new friend to sale with him on the Centurion, to the Mediterranean. Reynolds of course accepted right away : this way he had the opportunity to visit Italy :) 

The trip lasted until 1752; during these years of voyage Reynolds stayed in Italy for two years, studying old masters. While in Italy he lost his hearing due to one severe cold. It was than that he painted another of his self-portraits depicting himself as a deaf man. The portrait of Keppel was painted upon their return as a thank you present to his friend; Keppel was later to become a national hero. The two of them remained friends for life. 

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