D'Anvers, N.: Thomas Gainsborough R. A. (London: George Bell & Sons, 1902)

MARRIAGE

5

which probably weighed with them to some ex-
tent ; but it was not very much for the young
couple to begin housekeeping on, especially
as, in spite of the many admirers of the genius
of Gainsborough at Sudbury, there were no
art patrons in its neighbourhood. For this
reason the newly married pair moved, in 1746,
to Ipswich, where they took a small house, the
rent of which was only ^6 a year. For the first
few months little seemed to have been gained
by the change. The only offer of employment
received by Gainsborough was from a wealthy
landowner, who asked him to do up his house
for him. The tide turned suddenly, however,
when the young artist attracted the attention of
Joshua Kirby, the future President of the Society
out of which the Royal Academy was to grow.
Kirby did not himself buy Gainsborough’s pic-
tures, but he introduced him to others who did;
and when, after some years of constant inter-
course, the older of the two friends left for Lon-
don, he intrusted one of his sons to the care of
the painter as a pupil.
Very little is known of the home life of Gains-
borough and his wife during their fifteen years’
residence at Ipswich. Two daughters were born
to them, who were named Mary and Margaret;