Thomas Gainsborough
An 18th-century English painter who infused his society portraits with the breezy, natural elegance of the countryside he loved.
1727–1788 (age 61)·English painter·Birthday: May 14
Biography
Thomas Gainsborough always preferred landscapes to the society portraits that paid his bills, and that tension defines his genius. Arriving in London from rural Suffolk, he mastered the formal demands of portraiture but subverted them with a feathery, spontaneous touch. His subjects, from the haughty Duchess of Devonshire to the rugged 'Mr. and Mrs. Andrews', seem caught in a moment, often against dreamy, wooded backdrops. This was no accident; he constructed elaborate miniature landscapes in his studio to paint from. A rival to the more academic Sir Joshua Reynolds, Gainsborough's work offered a different vision of British art—one less about grand statements and more about sensitive observation and lyrical feeling, paving the way for the Romantic movement.
#1 When Thomas Was Born
The biggest hits of 1727
Thomas's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1727Born
1732Started school
1740Became a teenager
1743Could drive
1745Could vote
1748Turned 21
1757Turned 30
1767Turned 40
1777Turned 50
1787Turned 60
1788Died at 61
Key Achievements
- Painted 'The Blue Boy', one of the most famous and frequently reproduced portraits in British art history.
- Was a founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768, though his relationship with it was often contentious.
- Served as the preferred portraitist to King George III and the British royal family later in his career.
- Developed a distinctive, rapid painting technique using thin glazes and light colors that gave his work a sense of immediacy.
Did You Know?
He was an accomplished musician, playing several instruments including the viola da gamba and the harp.
He often wrote letters complaining about the drudgery of painting portraits, declaring his true love was for landscapes.
He and his rival Joshua Reynolds were buried near each other in St. Paul's Cathedral.
He painted by candlelight to study the effects of light and shadow.
“I'm sick of portraits and wish very much to take my viol-da-gam and walk off to some sweet village where I can paint landskips and enjoy the fag end of life in quietness and ease.”
