1727 - 1788
Thomas Gainsborough (1727 - 1788) was born in Sudbury, Suffolk and studied in London at the St Martin's Lane Academy. He returned to Suffolk as a face painter and then moved to Bath until settling in London in 1774 where he became the most successful portrait painter of the day. He developed a distinctive drawing style using black chalk, sometimes enhanced with watercolours and which was much copied. He also experimented with compositions and models using equipment such as camera obscura as aids.
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