Thomas Gainsborough | |
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Born | Sudbury, Suffolk, England |
Baptised | 14 May 1727 |
Died | 2 August 1788 London, England | (aged 61)
Resting place | St Anne's Church, Kew |
Education | Hubert-François Gravelot, Francis Hayman |
Known for | |
Notable work | Mr and Mrs Andrews The Blue Boy |
Movement | Rococo |
Spouse |
Margaret Burr (m. 1746) |
Children | 2 |
Thomas Gainsborough RA FRSA (/ˈɡeɪnzbərə/; 14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter, draughtsman, and printmaker. Along with his rival Sir Joshua Reynolds,[1] he is considered one of the most important British artists of the second half of the 18th century.[2] He painted quickly, and the works of his maturity are characterised by a light palette and easy strokes. Despite being a prolific portrait painter, Gainsborough gained greater satisfaction from his landscapes.[3] He is credited (with Richard Wilson) as the originator of the 18th-century British landscape school. Gainsborough was a founding member of the Royal Academy.