Thomas Gainsborough

(British, 1727–1788)

Thomas Gainsborough was a leading British Romantic portraitist. His work is distinctive for his lively handling of paint, which allowed the artist to capture his sitters’ likenesses both quickly and accurately. Born on May 14, 1727 in Sudbury, United Kingdom, he developed his skill while working as an assistant to Hubert-François Gravelot, a French Rococo painter. Though his first love was landscape painting, Gainsborough quickly turned to portraits for their popularity and the financial stability they offered. His works, painted in dark colors with economical brush strokes, were of contemporary celebrities as well as local merchants and townspeople. He gained widespread acclaim and emerged as one of the leading portrait artists of the century alongside his longtime rival, Joshua Reynolds. Gainsborough was notably one of the original 36 artists invited to join the Royal Academy. He went on to paint portraits of King George III and his wife, and many royal commissions thereafter. The artist died on August 2, 1788, in London, United Kingdom. Today, his works can be found in the collections of the National Gallery in London, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Louvre Museum in Paris, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, among others.

Thomas Gainsborough Artworks

Thomas Gainsborough (997 results)
A pug

Thomas Gainsborough

A pug

Sale Date: July 9, 2009

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Portrait de femme au chapeau et à la robe blanche

Follower of Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait de femme au chapeau et à la robe blanche

Sale Date: June 17, 2009

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Pastoral scene with a herdsman and livestock

Follower of Thomas Gainsborough

Pastoral scene with a herdsman and livestock

Sale Date: June 21, 2009

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Portrait of Colonel Henry Townshend

School of Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of Colonel Henry Townshend

Sale Date: June 6, 2009

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Portrait of Mrs. John Gisborne (née Anne Bateman)

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of Mrs. John Gisborne (née Anne Bateman)

Sale Date: June 4, 2009

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Portrait of a Suffolk clergyman, half..., 1752

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of a Suffolk clergyman, half..., 1752

Sale Date: April 22, 2009

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Portrait of Christopher Griffith

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of Christopher Griffith

Sale Date: April 8, 2009

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Portrait eines Edelmannes in einer weiten...

Follower of Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait eines Edelmannes in einer weiten...

Sale Date: March 27, 2009

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Portrait de Giusto Ferdinando Tenducci tenant...

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait de Giusto Ferdinando Tenducci tenant...

Sale Date: February 23, 2009

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Portrait of a woman with hat

Style of Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of a woman with hat

Sale Date: January 27, 2009

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A wooded landscape with a herdsman and his flock

Thomas Gainsborough

A wooded landscape with a herdsman and his flock

Sale Date: December 10, 2008

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Portait of Elizabeth, wife of Richard Colvile...

Thomas Gainsborough

Portait of Elizabeth, wife of Richard Colvile...

Sale Date: December 3, 2008

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Sitzportrait einer jungen Dame mit rotem...

School of Thomas Gainsborough

Sitzportrait einer jungen Dame mit rotem...

Sale Date: November 18, 2008

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Study of a bullock cart on a winding track..., 1759

Thomas Gainsborough

Study of a bullock cart on a winding track..., 1759

Sale Date: December 4, 2008

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A country house, with figures coming down a..., 1780

Thomas Gainsborough

A country house, with figures coming down a..., 1780

Sale Date: December 4, 2008

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Portrait of Elizabeth Prowse, half-length, in a...

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of Elizabeth Prowse, half-length, in a...

Sale Date: October 29, 2008

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A cottage in a forest with figures at the door

In the manner of Thomas Gainsborough

A cottage in a forest with figures at the door

Sale Date: July 20, 2008

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Portrait of Dr. William Walcot in a blue coat

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of Dr. William Walcot in a blue coat

Sale Date: July 9, 2008

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Portrait of Humphrey Hall of Goldings, Bengeo,...

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of Humphrey Hall of Goldings, Bengeo,...

Sale Date: July 9, 2008

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Wooded landscape

Thomas Gainsborough

Wooded landscape

Sale Date: June 5, 2008

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Landschaft mit Reisenden

Thomas Gainsborough

Landschaft mit Reisenden

Sale Date: May 28, 2008

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On the road

School of Thomas Gainsborough

On the road

Sale Date: May 16, 2008

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Portrait of an officer in a red coat with gold...

Follower of Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of an officer in a red coat with gold...

Sale Date: May 8, 2008

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A cottage in a forest with figures at the door

In the manner of Thomas Gainsborough

A cottage in a forest with figures at the door

Sale Date: April 23, 2008

Auction Closed