GAINSBOROUGH, THOMAS (1727-88). An English portrait and landscape painter, born at Sudbury, in Suffolk. He was the youngest of nine children, and self-supporting at eighteen years of age. His parents sent him to London, at the age of fifteen, to study painting; he stayed with a goldsmith who introduced him to Grave lot, an engraver, from whom he gained his chief instruction. Later he was associated for three years with Frank Hayman, an historical painter of some reputation. After an unsuccessful at tempt to have a studio in London, -he returned to Sudbury in 1745, and continued his landscape studies. Soon after his return he married, and six months afterwards went to Ipswich, where for fifteen years he lived quietly and worked earnestly. In 1759 he sent eighteen of his pictures to the exhibition of the Society of Arts; in 1760 he removed to Bath, remaining until 1774, when he returned to London. In 1768 he was elected one of the original members of the Royal Academy. His stay at Bath was by success, and he painted many portraits of fashionable beauties and the brightest spirits of the day. George III., on hearing of Gainsbor ough's return to London, invited him to court, and gave him orders for portraits of himself and Queen. This seemed a signal for the fashionable world, which resulted in prosperity which lasted until Gainsborough's death. He died in London, August 2, 1788, and was buried at'his request in Kew Churchyard, without name or inscription on , the stone that marked his grave. Gainsborough painted that which charmed him in nature; he was the first impressionist in landscape art, somewhat like Corot, interpreting her poetic qualities. The "Watering Place," painted be tween 1768 and 1775, is considered one of his best landscapes.
Gainsborough's portraits are distinguished for their noble and refined grace; they express al most invariably the moment of unconscious rest. They interpret the winning personality of the individual rather than such intellectual qualities as those suggested by Reynolds. Often faulty in drawing, the artist charms us by his color, which is cool, fresh, and transparent; the tones seem to follow each other like the chords ofan instru ment, without the slightest intimation of separa tion, always fading away into a background of dreamy atmosphere. His canvas was thinly painted with a smooth aad swift technique.
The "Boy Blue," considered his greatest work, was the portrait of a son of Jonathan Buttall, a wealthy ironmonger of London. There are three
existing versions of the same subject: one in the collection of the Duke of Devonshire, supposed to be the original; one owned by Mr. George Hearn, of New York; and a third, owned by Count de Castellane. The portrait of Mrs. Sid dons, the actress, was painted in 1784, when she was at the height of her fame and but twenty nine. It is a conception of her beauty distinctly opposed to Reynolds's portrait of the same time, known as the "Tragic Muse." Of Gainsborough's 300 paintings, 220 are portraits; there are also a few etchings and a collection of his drawings in the British Museum. The most important paint ings comprise, besides those already mentioned: "Rustic Children"; "Portrait of Orpin, Parish Clerk of Bradford, Wilts"; landscape, "Gainsbor ough Forest," all in the National Gallery, Lon don. In Buckingham Palace, "Duke and Duchess of Cumberland." In Stratford-on-Avon Museum, "David Garrick." In Windsor Castle, "George III.," full length, and a portrait of the "Royal Family." At Dulwich, "Mrs. Moody and Her Children," "Mrs. Sheridan," and "Miss Tichell." In the National Portrait Gallery are several por traits. A number of important works by Gains borough are in the United States. The Chicago Art Institute has one, a "Landscape with Fig ures." In the New York Metropolitan Museum are two "Landscapes," "Mr. Burroughs," and a "Child with Cat." In the collection of J. Pier pont Morgan is the "Duchess of Devonshire." The portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire, known as the "Lost Duchess," was exhibited in 1793, and although a good example of the artist's work, it is more famous for its history than for its value as a work of art. It was bought by the art dealers Thomas Agnew and Sons, of Lon don, for £10,065—the highest sum ever paid at a London. art sale for a portrait. The canvas was cut from the frame in their galleries by a thief. and all efforts to recover it proved unavailing, until in April, 1901, it was turned over by the parties holding it to the Pinkerton detective agency in Chicago. Mr. Agnew came to America to identify the picture, which was afterwards sold by his firm to J. Pierpont Morgan, in whose collection it now remains.
For Gainsborough biography, consult: Fulcher (London, 1856), Brock-Arnold (ib., 1881), and Bell (ib., 1897) ; also Ruskin, Modern Painters (ib., 1873) ; Colvin, in Portfolio (ib., 1872) ; Wedmore, Studies in English Art, 1st series (ib., 1878) ; and Armstrong, Gaingwrough and His Place in English Art (ib., 1898).