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THE MARKET CART
BY THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH, R.A. (1727-1788)
IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON
Gainsborough's talent for painting was inherited from his mother, who was a skilful painter of flowers and encouraged her son in his love for drawing. It is said that by the time he was ten years old this infant prodigy had drawn every fine tree and pretty cottage in the neighbourhood of Sudbury, where he lived, and had given evidence of his genius even in his youthful escapades. He filled his school books with caricatures of his master, he sketched a man whom he discovered stealing his father's apples, and it must be regretfully recorded that he even forged the parental signature to obtain a holiday from his lessons.
At the age of fifteen he was allowed to study in London, and became a pupil of Hayman, the historical painter. For three years he studied in the metropolis, and for the two succeeding years he idled in the country, where his precocity again asserted itself, as he was a married man when he was twenty.
The youthful pair settled at Ipswich, where Gainsborough painted portraits. His sitters, perhaps fortunately, were not numerous enough to prevent him rambling in the neighbourhood, and from painting landscapes which were a feature of his art in after years.
Gainsborough's first great successes were obtained in Bath, whither he moved in 1759, and were repeated in London, where he became the rage.
He disputed with Reynolds the chief position of popularity with the smart set, and with him ranks as the greatest portrait painter of the English School. Reynolds's works show, perhaps, a greater technical excellence, but Gainsborough's display a grace and a lightness of touch as well as a power of insight which are incomparable.
From the book "Famous Paintings" Volume 2 printed in 1913.
Large files of this public domain print are available at Stock Photos at Songs of Praise
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Online "Name the Painting"
Paintings by Gainsborough
at ABC Gallery
The Artchive
(scroll down, to find Gainsborough)
Paintings by Gainsborough
at Wikipedia
Gainsborough Biography and Prints
(Spanish version)
Famous Paintings in this Series
