Thomas Gainsborough
(1727-1788), Portrait and landscape painterSitter in 8 portraits
Artist associated with 268 portraits
Landscape and portrait painter. Gainsborough worked in his native Sudbury and then Ipswich until 1759 when he moved to Bath and established a fashionable portrait practice. Settling in London in 1774, he was Joshua Reynolds's only real rival as a portrait painter. Gainsborough quarrelled with the Royal Academy over the exhibition of his pictures; he was highly-strung in personality, a lively letter writer and devoted to music. Garrick said 'his cranium is so crammed with genius of every kind that it is in danger of bursting on you like a steam engine overcharged'.
More on Gainsborough: Gainsborough's Family Album exhibition | Explore the portrait of Thomas Gainsborough by E. Ortner (NPG D2917) from all angles
Sarah Kirby (née Bull); (John) Joshua Kirby
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1751-1752
NPG 1421
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1753
On display at Gainsborough's House, Sudbury
NPG 881
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1755
On display at Gainsborough's House, Sudbury
NPG 2179
by Thomas Gainsborough
black and white chalk with stump on blue paper, circa 1765
NPG 5081
John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, feigned oval, circa 1770
NPG 755
James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale
after Thomas Gainsborough
oil on panel, feigned oval, late 18th century
NPG 928
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, 1770
On display at Gainsborough's House, Sudbury
NPG 5054
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1773-1775
NPG 980
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, feigned oval, circa 1774-1775
NPG 777
Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, feigned oval, circa 1780
On display in Room 10 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 150
Gaetano Appolino Balthasar Vestris (Gaëtan Vestris)
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, oval, circa 1780-1781
On display in Room 18 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 7108
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, feigned oval, 1783
On display in Room 10 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 281
Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk
by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, 1784-1786
On display at Arundel Castle, Arundel
NPG 5294
by Francesco Bartolozzi, after Thomas Gainsborough
black and red crayon with pencil and grey wash on paper, circa 1797, based on a work of 1787-1788
NPG 1107
Related People
- Gainsborough Dupont (nephew)
- Mary Fischer (née Gainsborough) (daughter)
- Margaret Gainsborough (née Burr) (wife)
- Margaret Gainsborough (daughter)
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Related pages
- Late Eighteenth Century Prints and Drawings
- Artist - Gainsborough
- Only Connect
- Only Connect - installation video
- Gainsborough's family album
- Gainsborough's Family Album
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