Thomas Gainsborough
BlogAdmin on 27th May 2022
His Early Life
Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter, draughtsman and printmaker. He was one of the well-known British artists of the latter half of the 18th century. Gainsborough was born the fifth son and ninth child of John and Mary Gainsborough, in Sudbury in the year 1727. Besides being a passionate artist and famous painter, he was also the founding member of The Royal Academy of Arts in London. Gainsborough’s father was a weaver and maker of woollen goods. Gainsborough spent his childhood at what is presently known as Gainsborough House, on Gainsborough Street, Sudbury. Out of the 10 siblings, it was only Thomas who showed interest in painting in his early life. Gainsborough gained knowledge about textures and fabrics through his association with his father who worked in the cloth industry as a weaver and wool handler.
His Painting Skills
As a young boy, Gainsborough impressed his father with his painting skills. He displayed his skills by painting small landscapes by the time he was ten. His formal training in art began in 1740 when his parents allowed him to leave for London in search of opportunities to develop his painting skills. Once in London, he trained under engraver Hubert Gravelot. Later Gainsborough eventually enrolled at the tuition-free academy in St. Martin’s Lane where he became associated with William Hogarth and his school.
The knowledge that Gainsborough acquired in this school had a lasting impact on his career as an artist. He tasted early success in his painting career when he was just 17. This boosted his confidence and thereafter, Gainsborough was able to establish a studio in London. He became Francis Hayman’s assistant in the decoration of the supper boxes at Vauxhall Gardens. This, later on, became the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children.
His Marriage
By 1746, Gainsborough was working on commissioned projects from his studio. Gainsborough was finding it difficult to sell his paintings of landscapes. Thereafter, in 1748 he went back to Sudbury and began concentrating more on painting portraits until 1749. While in Suffolk, he painted a portrait of the Rev. John Chaffy playing the violin in a landscape. His career became brighter and his life more prosperous after he married Margaret Burr. She was the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Beaufort. His wife came with an annuity left by her father. This helped Gainsborough to pursue his work reasonably comfortably and unencumbered financially.
Shifted from Landscapes to Portraits
In 1752, Gainsborough moved to Ipswich with his family, including his two daughters. He started to receive more and more commissions for portraits, mainly, from local merchants and squires. Gainsborough still had to borrow against his wife’s annuity. Towards the end of his time in Ipswich, he painted a self-portrait and portraits depicting his friends and family including his wife and children. Thereafter, Gainsborough and his family moved to Bath in 1759 where he studied the portraits of Van Dyck. This helped him to attract a fashionable and wealthy clientele including those from the aristocratic circles.
‘The Blue Boy’
‘The Blue Boy’ is one of Gainsborough’s most famous pictures that he painted in 1770. This painting has come to be known as one of the greatest works of 18th-century British art. It was an instant success and has remained so to date. Despite being a prolific portrait painter, Gainsborough had greater satisfaction from his paintings of landscapes. Along with another well-known painter, Richard Wilson, Thomas Gainsborough is known as the founding member of the Royal Academy. People also know him as the originator of the 18th-century British landscape school. Blue Boy was painted in homage to Sir Anthony van Dyck whom Gainsborough admired the most.
The ‘Blue Boy’ is standing in an authoritative position known as ‘contrapposto‘ much used in classical art. The jutting elbow is another well-used pose in European portraiture. Art historians describe the pose as ‘indicative essentially of boldness or control and therefore of a masculine role.
‘Blue Boy’ Back in London after 100 years
In 1922, the American railway baron Henry Edwards Huntington bought the painting ‘The Blue Boy‘ for $778,000. There was a massive outcry in Britain as many believed that the country had lost a national treasure. As per some estimate, nearly 90000 people came to bid farewell to the painting in the final three weeks that it was on display publicly in London. The masterpiece left the United Kingdom on Jan 25, 1922. Exactly a century later, the painting made a grand return journey to London. The painting will be on display in London’s National Gallery, in Trafalgar Square on Jan 25, 2022, exactly 100 years later. To the general population, Gainsborough’s Blue Boy was the epitome of high culture and noble British character.
Gainsborough House, a Museum
In 1958, Gainsborough’s House Society was formed to purchase the house and establish it as a centre for Thomas Gainsborough, a museum. Opened in 1961, the museum is available to the public for over 50 years. The building still survives and it is now a house museum dedicated to Gainsborough’s life and art. From about 1761, Gainsborough began sending his works to the Society of Arts exhibition, which is now known as the Royal Society of Arts in London. Gainsborough was one of the earliest members of the Society.
His Final Days
Gainsborough fell seriously ill in 1763 and this weakened his health for the rest of his life. His excessive dalliance with women might be, reportedly, the reason for his contracting venereal disease and the consequent poor health conditions.
His Well-known Paintings
‘Mr and Mrs Andrews’ is one of Gainsborough’s famous paintings, which he made in 1750. The painting depicts an elegantly dressed couple seated under a tree. The painter has left a blank space on the lap of Frances and experts feel that this was a thoughtful move as the painter would later paint a child for her to hold. It is not clear if there existed any parenting showing Frances with a child. Gainsborough painted this work after the marriage of his friend Robert Andrews to Frances Carter.
Some of his other well-known paintings include, ‘Landscape with Gipsies’, ‘Pomeranian Bitch and Puppy’ ‘Tristra and Fox’,
