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)
Portrait of Henry Fane, M.P. (1703-1777), of...

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of Henry Fane, M.P. (1703-1777), of...

Sale Date: July 7, 2023

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Wooded landscape with cottage on a bank

Thomas Gainsborough

Wooded landscape with cottage on a bank

Sale Date: July 5, 2023

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Wooded landscape with horseman and horse...

Thomas Gainsborough

Wooded landscape with horseman and horse...

Sale Date: July 5, 2023

Auction Closed

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Circle of Thomas Gainsborough

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Sale Date: June 29, 2023

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A wooded river landscape with a herdsman driving

Thomas Gainsborough

A wooded river landscape with a herdsman driving

Sale Date: July 5, 2023

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A wooded landscape with drovers and..., 1768–1770

Thomas Gainsborough

A wooded landscape with drovers and..., 1768–1770

Sale Date: July 4, 2023

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A young man reclining on a bank beneath a tree,...

Thomas Gainsborough

A young man reclining on a bank beneath a tree,...

Sale Date: July 4, 2023

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Wooded landscape with herdsmen and cattle on a...

Thomas Gainsborough

Wooded landscape with herdsmen and cattle on a...

Sale Date: July 4, 2023

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Double portrait of Master John Truman Villebois...

Thomas Gainsborough

Double portrait of Master John Truman Villebois...

Sale Date: July 6, 2023

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A portrait of a falconer with an owlet, 1790

Circle of Thomas Gainsborough

A portrait of a falconer with an owlet, 1790

Sale Date: June 29, 2023

Auction Closed

Portrait of William Hanson, three-quarter..., 1761

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of William Hanson, three-quarter..., 1761

Sale Date: June 9, 2023

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Portrait of John Richards, three-quarter..., 1763

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of John Richards, three-quarter..., 1763

Sale Date: June 9, 2023

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Portrait de Lucy (Fortescue) Lyttelton

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait de Lucy (Fortescue) Lyttelton

Sale Date: June 7, 2023

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Portrait of a Lady

In the manner of Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of a Lady

Sale Date: May 24, 2023

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After Thomas Gainsborough (British, 1727-1788),...

After Thomas Gainsborough

After Thomas Gainsborough (British, 1727-1788),...

Sale Date: May 20, 2023

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Wooded Rocky Landscape with Peasants in , 1765–1766

Thomas Gainsborough

Wooded Rocky Landscape with Peasants in , 1765–1766

Sale Date: June 1, 2023

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Portrait of a lady said to be the Duchess of...

Follower of Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of a lady said to be the Duchess of...

Sale Date: May 2, 2023

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A portrait of a falconer with an owlet, 1790

Circle of Thomas Gainsborough

A portrait of a falconer with an owlet, 1790

Sale Date: April 27, 2023

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Portrait of James Haviland (c. 1747–1779),...

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of James Haviland (c. 1747–1779),...

Sale Date: April 5, 2023

Auction Closed

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Circle of Thomas Gainsborough

WEITE LANDSCHAFT MIT KATE UND BAUERN

Sale Date: March 30, 2023

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Cottage children

After Thomas Gainsborough

Cottage children

Sale Date: April 4, 2023

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Portrait of Mary Gainsborough, bust-length, in a

After Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of Mary Gainsborough, bust-length, in a

Sale Date: April 4, 2023

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Portrait of William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne

Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne

Sale Date: March 21, 2023

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Portrait of a gentleman wearing a buttoned grey...

Circle of Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of a gentleman wearing a buttoned grey...

Sale Date: March 8, 2023

Auction Closed