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
Related People
- Gainsborough Dupont (nephew)
- Mary Fischer (née Gainsborough) (daughter)
- Margaret Gainsborough (née Burr) (wife)
- Margaret Gainsborough (daughter)
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