Thomas Gainsborough

(1727-1788)

Thomas Gainborough was the most influential English painter of the 18^th century. He was born in Sudbury, Suffolk, in 1727. Thomas was a son of a cloth merchant.When he displayed a gift for drawing, his father sent him to London to study art. Thomas stayed there for 8 years working under the rococo portrait- engraver Gravelot and becoming familiar with the Flemish tradition of painting.

In 1750 he moved to Ipswich where his professional career began. He produced a great deal of small-sized portraits and landscapes. When in 1759 he moved to Bath, he succeeded brilliantly as a portrait – painter, depicting the aristocracy, wealthy merchants, artists and men of letters. Society appealled to him for portraits.He didn’t execute small paintings any longer and in the manner of Van Dyck turned to full-length, life-size portraits.

Gainsborough’s portraits of actors, actresses and his close friends are well-known. One of his best friends was the dramatist Richard Sheridan, whose portrait belongs to one of the greatest pictures of the painter.

Thomas Gainsborough is recognized as an excellent women painter.

His pictures of women are marked by elegance, delicacy and refinement. These include “ The Portrait of the Duchess de Befou”, “ Mrs. Siddons”, “Two Daughters”.

When looking at the picture “ The portrait of the Duchess de Befoe”, we can see a young noble woman. Her charming face is full of freshness and life. Her calm pose and the elegance of the gesture of her hand emphasize her nobility. The artist has a wonderful sense of colour,line and composition. He skilfully combines light and shade. The painting is mostly executed in light tones with numerous blue shadows. The main idea shown is that of woman’s beauty. This work of art is exhibited in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

Gainsborough’s best works are painted in clear and transparent tones, where blue and green are predominant. One of the most particular discoveries of his is that the landscape is not put in the background, in most cases a man and nature form an entity. It can be observed in the portrait “ Robert Andrews and Mary, his wife”, where the beauty of the green English summer is communicated to the viewer through the sense of well-being and delight in the sitters. To the list of his most popular works we may add: “The Blue Boy”(1770), “Elizabeth and Mary Linley” (1772), “Mrs. Hamilton Nizbet”(1785),” The Morning Walk”(1785).

Thomas Gainsborough was the first English artist who painted his native land.His best landscapes include: “ The Watering place”, “ The Harvest Waggon”, “The Sunset”, “ The Market Cart”. He was country-born and in his works showed a great love for the countryside.

Gainsborough’s paintings had a considerable influence on the artists of the English school who followed him. The landscapes of his late years anticipated Constable and Turner. The output of Gainsborough’s works comprises about 8 hundred portraits and more than 2 hundred landscapes. His art was a forerunner of the romantic movement.

Memorize unknown words:

influential- впливовий

small-sized - малого розміру

to succeed- досягати успіхів

to appeal- звертатися

full-length (portraits)- на повний зріст

life-size (portraits)- природньої величини

delicacy- ніжність

refinement- вишуканість

nobility- шляхетність

transparent - прозорий

entity- цілісність

to be communicated- передаватися(тут)

well-being- добробут

delight- захоплення

considerable- значний

to anticipate-випереджати

to comprise- складати

forerunner- передвісник;передчуття

Answer the following questions:

1. What do you know about Gainsborough’s early years?

2. What kinds of portraits did he execute at the beginning of his professional career?

3. Why did Thomas succeed as a portrait-painter? Whom did he depict in his portraits?

4. Whose influence is felt in Gainsborough’s portraits?

5. Is Gainsborough a master of women portraits?

6. What is the main idea of “The Portrait of the Duchess de Befoe”?

7. How did Gainsborough depict the woman there?

8. Where is it displayed?

9. Can you enumerate his best women portraits?

10. Are the women in his portraits delicate and refined or rude and vulgar?

11. What colours predominate in Gainsborough’s palette?

12. What discovery in art did Gainsborough make?

13. What picture is an excellent example of unity of a man and landscape?

14. How many works of art did Gainsborough execute?

15. What art trend did he give a push to?

Gainsborough’s most known works:

1. The Portrait of the Duchess de Befoe;

2. Mrs. Siddons;

3. Two Daughters;

4. Robert Andrews and Mary, his wife;

5. Elizabeth and Mary Linley;

6. Mrs. Hamilton Nizbet;

7. The Blue Boy;

8. The Market Cart;

9. The Harvest Waggon;

10. The Watering Place;

11. The Sunset;

12. The Morning Walk;

Дата добавления: 2015-07-02