Art, literature & historyPortrait of a Young Woman, Called Miss Sparrow
Thomas Gainsborough · 1770s
Thomas Gainsborough: 1727–1788
Other names (25)
&c. Gainsborough, Gainsboro', Gainsboroagh, Gainsborough, gainsborough t., gainsborough thomas, Gainsborouh, Gainsbro, Gainsbrough, Gainsbury, Mr. Gainsborough, T. Gainsborough, T Gainsborough RA, T. Gainsbro, th. gainsborough, Thomas Gainsboro, Thomas Gainsborough, Thomas Gainsborough, Thomas Gainsborough, Thomas Gainsborough, Thomas Gainsborough RA, Thomas Gainsbro, thos. gainsborough, Tomas Geĭnsboro, Tomas Geĭnzbŭro
Biography
Thomas Gainsborough (; 14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English painter, draughtsman and printmaker who specialised in portrait and landscape painting. Along with his rival Sir Joshua Reynolds, he was one of the most important British artists of the 18th century. He painted quickly, and the works of his maturity are characterised by a light palette and easy strokes. Despite being a prolific portrait painter, Gainsborough gained greater satisfaction from his landscapes. He is credited (with Richard Wilson) as the originator of the 18th-century British landscape school. Gainsborough was a founding member of the Royal Academy.
Wikipedia contributors. Opening excerpt, formatted for reading. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision.
Influenced by
- Jacob van Ruisdaeleditorial inference
Evidence
Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Anthony van Dyckeditorial inference
Evidence
Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
Later influence
- John Constableeditorial inference
Evidence
Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Alfred Sisleyeditorial inference
Evidence
Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Jacques-Emile Blancheeditorial inference
Evidence
Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Charles Joshua Chaplineditorial inference
Evidence
Reviewed the named influence and direction in the source passage. Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Albert Besnardeditorial inference
Evidence
Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- John Singer Sargenteditorial inference
Evidence
Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Philip Wilson Steereditorial inference
Evidence
The biography identifies Thomas Gainsborough as an artistic influence on Philip Wilson Steer. The biography distinguishes Whistler's example from Steer's later old-master influences. Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
Artworks by year
Loading chronology…Museum / collectionAll collections
Finding recorded artworks…
Museums & collections
Documented holdings of works attributed to Thomas Gainsborough. Check the museum’s record for current display information.
- Tate35 recorded works
- National Gallery of Art19 recorded works
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art17 recorded works
- The Cleveland Museum of Art9 recorded works
- Art Institute of Chicago6 recorded works
- Clark Art Institute4 recorded works
- Minneapolis Institute of Art3 recorded works
- Musée du Louvre3 recorded works
- Museo Nacional del Prado2 recorded works
- A. G. Leventis Gallery1 recorded work
- Dulwich Picture Gallery1 recorded work
- Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX, US1 recorded work
- Museo de Arte de Sao Paulo (MASP), Sao Paulo, Brazil1 recorded work
- National Gallery1 recorded work
- National Gallery of Victoria1 recorded work
- National Museum Cardiff1 recorded work
- Scottish National Gallery1 recorded work
- Toledo Museum of Art1 recorded work
- Yale Center for British Art1 recorded work
Sources 12
- Wikidata (CC0)
- National Gallery of Art
- Museum authority country review
- Pantheon 2025 — Datawheel (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Museum authority country review
- Tate Collection metadata (October 2014 snapshot)
- Pantheon 2025 — Datawheel (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Expanded artwork research — official museum evidence
- Pantheon 2025 — Datawheel (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- UK painters — source authorities and selected artwork research
- Louvre painter identity and WikiArt profile links
- UK painters — source authorities and selected artwork research
