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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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Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, by George Sanders, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D8033

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn

by George Sanders, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1877
NPG D8033

John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll, by Robert Bowyer Parkes, published by  Henry Graves, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D15047

John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll

by Robert Bowyer Parkes, published by Henry Graves, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1877
NPG D15047

Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire, by Victor Gustave Lhuillier, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D16749

Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire

by Victor Gustave Lhuillier, after Thomas Gainsborough
etching, published 1877 (1763)
NPG D16749

Thomas Sandby; Elizabeth Sandby (née Venables), by George Sanders, published by  Henry Graves & Co, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D4154

Thomas Sandby; Elizabeth Sandby (née Venables)

by George Sanders, published by Henry Graves & Co, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1878
NPG D4154

Elizabeth Ann Sheridan (née Linley), by James Scott, published by  Henry Graves & Co, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D14577

Elizabeth Ann Sheridan (née Linley)

by James Scott, published by Henry Graves & Co, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1878
NPG D14577

Honble. Charles Marsham & Sisters, by George Sanders, published by  Henry Graves & Co, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D4113

Honble. Charles Marsham & Sisters

by George Sanders, published by Henry Graves & Co, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1878 (1787)
NPG D4113

John (John) Joshua Kirby, by James Scott, published by  Henry Graves & Co, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D36886

John (John) Joshua Kirby

by James Scott, published by Henry Graves & Co, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1879 (circa 1764)
NPG D36886

Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis, by Robert Bowyer Parkes, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D40466

Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis

by Robert Bowyer Parkes, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1879
NPG D40466

John (John) Joshua Kirby, by James Scott, published by  Henry Graves & Co, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D3435

John (John) Joshua Kirby

by James Scott, published by Henry Graves & Co, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1879 (circa 1764)
NPG D3435

John (John) Joshua Kirby, by James Scott, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D3436

John (John) Joshua Kirby

by James Scott, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1879 (circa 1764)
NPG D3436

Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis, by Robert Bowyer Parkes, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D3963

Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis

by Robert Bowyer Parkes, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1879
NPG D3963

Edward Orpin, by Richard Josey, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D3786

Edward Orpin

by Richard Josey, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, 1880
NPG D3786

Mrs Minet, by Richard Josey, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D5689

Mrs Minet

by Richard Josey, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1880
NPG D5689

Isabella Franks, by Robert Bowyer Parkes, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D2016

Isabella Franks

by Robert Bowyer Parkes, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1884 (1770-1772)
NPG D2016

Elizabeth and Thomas Linley, by George H. Every, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D37356

Elizabeth and Thomas Linley

by George H. Every, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1886 (1768)
NPG D37356

Elizabeth and Thomas Linley, by George H. Every, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D14195

Elizabeth and Thomas Linley

by George H. Every, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1886 (1768)
NPG D14195

King George IV when Prince of Wales, by Henry Herschel Hay Cameron (later The Cameron Studio), after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D33331

King George IV when Prince of Wales

by Henry Herschel Hay Cameron (later The Cameron Studio), after Thomas Gainsborough
photograph of painting, 1891 (1782)
NPG D33331

Au Revoir (Georgiana (Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire, Anne (Parsons), Viscountess Maynard ('Nancy Parsons'), Agneta Yorke (née Johnson)), by Bernard Partridge, after  Thomas Gainsborough, and after  Sir Joshua Reynolds - NPG D9526

Au Revoir (Georgiana (Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire, Anne (Parsons), Viscountess Maynard ('Nancy Parsons'), Agneta Yorke (née Johnson))

by Bernard Partridge, after Thomas Gainsborough, and after Sir Joshua Reynolds
pen and ink, heightened with white, published 1907
NPG D9526

'The Painter's Two Daughters' (Mary Fischer (née Gainsborough); Margaret Gainsborough), published by The Medici Society Ltd, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D34267

'The Painter's Two Daughters' (Mary Fischer (née Gainsborough); Margaret Gainsborough)

published by The Medici Society Ltd, after Thomas Gainsborough
chromolithograph, published 1909 (circa 1758)
NPG D34267

Gainsborough Dupont, after Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D36042

Gainsborough Dupont

after Thomas Gainsborough
collotype, 1910 (circa 1770-1775)
NPG D36042

Gainsborough Dupont, after Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D36043

Gainsborough Dupont

after Thomas Gainsborough
chromolithograph, 1910 (circa 1770-1775)
NPG D36043

William Pitt, published by The Medici Society Ltd, after  Thomas Gainsborough - NPG D40244

William Pitt

published by The Medici Society Ltd, after Thomas Gainsborough
chromolithograph, published 1911
NPG D40244

Web image not currently available

John Henderson

by and published by John Jones, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 30 May 1783 (circa 1773-1775)
NPG D19524

Web image not currently available

William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (Lord Shelburne)

by and published by Francesco Bartolozzi, after Thomas Gainsborough
stipple engraving, published 1787
NPG D20263

Web image not currently available

Henry Hanbury Beaufoy

by and published by William Ward, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1 January 1797 after a work of 1785-1787
NPG D49671

Web image not currently available

Thomas Gainsborough

by Francesco Bartolozzi, published by John Boydell, and published by Josiah Boydell, after Thomas Gainsborough
stipple engraving, published 1 January 1798 (1787-1788)
NPG D20059

Web image not currently available

James West

by Thomas Hodgetts, after a painting attributed to Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1819
NPG D8227

Web image not currently available

Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire

published by The Medici Society Ltd, after Thomas Gainsborough
chromolithograph, published 1910, based on a work of 1782-1783
NPG D49758

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