Portrait of the Artist's Daughters

Artist Thomas Gainsborough (British, 1727–1788)

Dateabout 1763–1764

Mediumoil on canvas

Dimensionscanvas: 127.3 × 101.7 cm (50 1/8 × 40 1/16 in.)
framed: 157.5 × 132.7 cm (62 × 52 1/4 in.)

ClassificationsPaintings

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Terms

Object number1917.181

Label TextGainsborough's two daughters were among his favorite subjects. He painted at least five double and several individual portraits of them at various ages. Here he suggested his daughters' interest in his own profession by showing them holding drawing materials and next to two classical sculptures. X-rays of the painting reveal that Margaret stood originally on the left side of the composition, facing her older sister, Mary. By repositioning her, Gainsborough stressed the close relationship between the two girls- a quality that can be seen also in his other portraits of them. Along with Sir Joshua Reynolds, Gainsborough was instrumental in raising British portrait painting to a level comparable to that found much earlier on the Continent. Influenced by French and Netherlandish art, especially the portraiture of Anthony van Dyck, Gainsborough incorporated elegance and expressive brushwork into his portraits, making him a favorite among England's aristocratic class.ProvenanceBy descent in the artist's family to his great-nephew, Richard James Lane [1800–1872]; given to John Jackson [1778–1831], Royal Academy. (By 1856, Mr. Bryant); (April 1864, Christie's London, J. W. Brett sale, Lot 735); A. Myers; (April 1888, Christie's London, Henry Wilkinson sale, Lot 131); (December 6, 1902, Christie's London, anonymous sale, Lot 81); J. Charles Wertheimer [1842-1911]; (May 10, 1912, his sale, Christie's London, Lot 6); (Agnew & Sons, London). By 1913, Edgar Vincent, later Lord d'Abernon [1857-1941], London. (By 1917, Duveen Brothers, New York, NY); 1917, purchased by the Worcester Art Museum.

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