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Primary sourcePaintingc. 1775

Portrait of Samuel Johnson

Joshua Reynolds · c. 1775

An oil portrait by Joshua Reynolds, around 1775, showing Samuel Johnson reading closely due to his poor eyesight, nicknamed 'Blinking Sam'.

This lifetime portrait by his close friend Reynolds shows Johnson's physical struggles and how contemporaries saw him.

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Oil painting of an older man in a powdered white wig and red coat, reading a sheaf of loose pages held in both hands. He leans forward with a squinting, intent expression against a dark oval background.
Joshua Reynolds, Portrait of Samuel Johnson ('Blinking Sam'), c. 1775. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California.

About this source

What it is

This oil painting, known as Blinking Sam, was created by Joshua Reynolds around 1775. It shows Johnson reading a book or pamphlet held close to his face, a habit caused by his poor eyesight. The painting is held at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.

Why it matters

Reynolds was a close friend of Johnson and one of the most celebrated portrait painters of the 18th century; the two had helped found the Literary Club together. This portrait is unusual because it frankly shows Johnson's physical struggle with his eyesight rather than flattering him. Johnson reportedly disliked the painting, saying he did not want to be remembered as 'Blinking Sam', showing how he cared about how posterity would see him.

Look closer

  • Why might Reynolds have chosen to show Johnson's eyesight problem rather than hide it?
  • How did Johnson himself react to the painting, and what does that tell us about him?
  • What does a portrait like this reveal, and what does it leave out, about a person's life?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Samuel Johnson on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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