Thomas Gainsborough

Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) was one of the masters of eighteenth-century art. This book, published to accompany a major international exhibition covering the artist's entire career, reveals the sheer range, quality, and originality of Gainsborough's work from his engagingly naturalistic landscapes and touching images of children to his sophisticated and glamorous society portraits.In their essay, Michael Rosenthal and Martin Myrone explore his dynamic involvement with the social world of his day, as he endeavored to forge an art that engaged meaningfully with contemporary life. A second essay examines the development of Gainsborough's technique and working methods, from his early works and life in Sudbury, Suffolk, to the grand studio and gallery at Schomberg House, London, where he spent his final years.The astonishing range of works illustrated here fully demonstrates the variety and brilliance of Gainsborough's art. The paintings he chose for display in London's newly emerging exhibition venues are grouped together, providing a valuable insight into how he wanted his career and art to be understood. Also explored are his precocious early works, his subtle approach to the lucrative world of fashionable portraiture, the often pointed social commentary behind his seductive landscapes, and the exploratory nature of the last works.