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Thomas Gainsborough

(1727-1788), Portrait and landscape painter

Sitter in 8 portraits
Artist associated with 262 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 | Explore the portrait of Thomas Gainsborough by E. Ortner (NPG D2917) from all angles

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Sarah Kirby (née Bull); (John) Joshua Kirby, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 1421

Sarah Kirby (née Bull); (John) Joshua Kirby

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1751-1752
NPG 1421

Edward Vernon, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 881

Edward Vernon

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1753
NPG 881

Joseph Gibbs, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 2179

Joseph Gibbs

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1755
NPG 2179

Thomas Gainsborough, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 4446

Thomas Gainsborough

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1759
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
NPG 5947

John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 755

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 - NPG 928

James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale

after Thomas Gainsborough
oil on panel, feigned oval, late 18th century
NPG 928

David Garrick, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 5054

David Garrick

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, 1770
NPG 5054

John Henderson, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 980

John Henderson

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1773-1775
NPG 980

Stringer Lawrence, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 777

Stringer Lawrence

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, feigned oval, circa 1774-1775
NPG 777

Johann Christian Bach, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 5557

Johann Christian Bach

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1776
NPG 5557

George Colman the Elder, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 59

George Colman the Elder

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, circa 1778
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
NPG 150

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 281

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, feigned oval, 1783
NPG 281

Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk, by Thomas Gainsborough - NPG 5294

Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk

by Thomas Gainsborough
oil on canvas, 1784-1786
NPG 5294

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

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

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