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Thomas Gainsborough

(1727-1788), Portrait and landscape painter

Sitter 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

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Thomas Gainsborough, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 4446

Thomas Gainsborough

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1759
On display in Room 18 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 4446

Karl Friedrich Abel, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 5081

Karl Friedrich Abel

by Thomas Gainsborough
black and white chalk with stump on blue paper, circa 1765
NPG 5081

Karl Friedrich Abel, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 5947

Karl Friedrich Abel

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1765
On display in Room 18 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 5947

Johann Christian Bach, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 5557

Johann Christian Bach

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1776
On display in Room 18 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 5557

George Colman the Elder, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 59

George Colman the Elder

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1777
On display in Room 18 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 59

Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 150

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 - NPG 7108

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 - NPG 281

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

John Henderson, by and published by John Jones, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG L269.B6.30

John Henderson

by and published by John Jones, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 30 May 1783 (circa 1773-1775)
On display in Room 11 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L269.B6.30

John Henderson, by John Jones, published by  John Sewell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG L269.B6.31

John Henderson

by John Jones, published by John Sewell, after Thomas Gainsborough
stipple engraving, published 1 January 1786
On display in Room 11 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG L269.B6.31

Thomas Gainsborough, by Francesco Bartolozzi, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 1107

Thomas Gainsborough

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

Ignatius Sancho, by Unknown artist, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 7063

Ignatius Sancho

by Unknown artist, after Thomas Gainsborough
gouache (body colour) or watercolour on ivory, circa 1802-1820
On display in Room 5 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 7063

Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Bt, by James Macardell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D39450

Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Bt

by James Macardell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1763 (1762)
NPG D39450

Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Bt, by James Macardell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D14729

Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Bt

by James Macardell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1763 (1762)
NPG D14729

Thomas Ashton, by James Macardell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D558

Thomas Ashton

by James Macardell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, mid 18th century
NPG D558

Thomas Ashton, by James Macardell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D559

Thomas Ashton

by James Macardell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, mid 18th century
NPG D559

Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick and Brooke, by James Watson, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D14974

Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick and Brooke

by James Watson, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, circa 1750-1790
NPG D14974

Robert Clive, by James Macardell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D33528

Robert Clive

by James Macardell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1762-1764
NPG D33528

John (John) Joshua Kirby, by John Dixon, sold by  Ryland and Bryer, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D3434

John (John) Joshua Kirby

by John Dixon, sold by Ryland and Bryer, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, (circa 1764)
NPG D3434

(John) Joshua Kirby, by John Dixon, sold by  Ryland and Bryer, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D14967

(John) Joshua Kirby

by John Dixon, sold by Ryland and Bryer, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, (circa 1764)
NPG D14967

Mary Richards (née Moysey), by Jonathan Spilsbury, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D39731

Mary Richards (née Moysey)

by Jonathan Spilsbury, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1768
NPG D39731

Mrs Richards, by Jonathan Spilsbury, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D4026

Mrs Richards

by Jonathan Spilsbury, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1768
NPG D4026

David Garrick, by Valentine Green, published by  John Boydell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D34384

David Garrick

by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 2 April 1769 (1766-1769)
NPG D34384

David Garrick, by Valentine Green, published by  John Boydell, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D34385

David Garrick

by Valentine Green, published by John Boydell, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 2 April 1769 (1766-1769)
NPG D34385

John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll, by James Watson, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D7098

John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll

by James Watson, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1769
NPG D7098

Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch, by John Dixon, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D32258

Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch

by John Dixon, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1771
NPG D32258

Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch, by John Dixon, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D32259

Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch

by John Dixon, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1771
NPG D32259

Miss Coghlan, by John Raphael Smith, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D33867

Miss Coghlan

by John Raphael Smith, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1772
NPG D33867

John Henderson, by John Jones, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D3000

John Henderson

by John Jones, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, (circa 1773-1775)
NPG D3000

David Garrick, by Joseph Collyer the Younger, published by  George Kearsley, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D27967

David Garrick

by Joseph Collyer the Younger, published by George Kearsley, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1 November 1776
NPG D27967

David Garrick, by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D2743

David Garrick

by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1776
NPG D2743

David Garrick, by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D2744

David Garrick

by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1776
NPG D2744

Paul Whitehead, by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D8313

Paul Whitehead

by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1778
NPG D8313

Paul Whitehead, by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D8314

Paul Whitehead

by Joseph Collyer the Younger, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1778
NPG D8314

Sir Richard Perryn, by Gainsborough Dupont, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D40167

Sir Richard Perryn

by Gainsborough Dupont, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1 December 1779
NPG D40167

Thomas Pennant, by John Keyse Sherwin, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D19671

Thomas Pennant

by John Keyse Sherwin, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1 January 1779 (1778)
NPG D19671

Ignatius Sancho, by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by  John Bowyer Nichols, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D23441

Ignatius Sancho

by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by John Bowyer Nichols, after Thomas Gainsborough
stipple engraving, published 2 July 1781 (1768)
On display in Room 12 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG D23441

Mark Beaufoy, by Valentine Green, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D31587

Mark Beaufoy

by Valentine Green, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1781 or after
NPG D31587

Ignatius Sancho, by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by  John Bowyer Nichols, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D3581

Ignatius Sancho

by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by John Bowyer Nichols, after Thomas Gainsborough
stipple engraving, published 1781 (1768)
NPG D3581

John Stanley, by and published by Mary Ann Rigg (née Scott), after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D14076

John Stanley

by and published by Mary Ann Rigg (née Scott), after Thomas Gainsborough
stipple engraving, published 9 April 1781
NPG D14076

King George III, by Richard Godfrey, after  Richard Livesay, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D18600

King George III

by Richard Godfrey, after Richard Livesay, after Thomas Gainsborough
stipple engraving printed in colours, (1781)
NPG D18600

Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, by George Sanders, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D33232

Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex

by George Sanders, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, (1782)
NPG D33232

John Hayes St Leger, by John Scott, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D40010

John Hayes St Leger

by John Scott, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, (1782)
NPG D40010

John Henderson, by and published by John Jones, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D35688

John Henderson

by and published by John Jones, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 30 May 1783 (circa 1773-1775)
NPG D35688

John Smeaton, by Miss Ickusch, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D41731

John Smeaton

by Miss Ickusch, after Thomas Gainsborough
lithograph, (1783)
NPG D41731

John Henderson, by and published by John Jones, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D2999

John Henderson

by and published by John Jones, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 30 May 1783 (circa 1773-1775)
NPG D2999

Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood, by John Keyse Sherwin, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D3265

Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood

by John Keyse Sherwin, after Thomas Gainsborough
line engraving, published 1783
NPG D3265

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