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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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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

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