 In the late 18th and early 19th centuries , British painting was strongly influenced by Joshua Reynolds ( 1723 – 1792 ) , the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts ( RA ) . Reynolds believed the purpose of art was " to conceive and represent their subjects in a poetical manner , not confined to mere matter of fact " , and that artists should emulate Renaissance painters such as Rubens , Paolo Veronese and Raphael and make their subjects close to perfection . After Reynolds 's death his Discourses on Art , which extolled the notion of an artist 's duty to paint idealised subjects , remained Britain 's primary theoretical work on art . The Royal Academy dominated British art , with the annual Royal Academy Summer Exhibition the most important event in the calendar . The Academy controlled the prestigious Academy art schools , an effective monopoly on the training of new artists , and preoccupied with technique . While painters such as J. M. W. Turner ( a strong supporter of the Royal Academy ) were beginning to move away from the influence of the Old Masters to create uniquely British styles , they adhered to principles established by Reynolds . 
