Sir Joshua Reynolds' Discourses, first published in 1797, form one of the most eloquant literary documents in the history of European art. Composed as lectures to the students at the Royal Academy, they both summarized the art theory of the previous 300 years and pointed towards attitudes which were to become prevalent in the 19th century. Reynolds' general theme is the education of the artist: the purpose of art, the nature of the creative process, and the artist's relation to tradition.