DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61291#0022
IO GAINSBOROUGH
Whilst Gainsborough was dividing his time
at Bath between painting portraits and enjoying
the society of his musical and dramatic friends,
his fame ever on the increase, something like a
revolution was taking place in the art world of
London, which had now become, through the
foundation of the Royal Academy, a recognized
art centre even in the judgment of hostile foreign
critics. Gainsborough, though he had had no-
thing to do with the foundation of the new
society, was from the first treated with great
consideration and respect by its members. He
was indeed made an R.A., if not exactly against
his will, yet certainly without his formal consent,
and he was never really cordial in his relations
with his fellow Academicians. To the first Ex-
hibition he sent two Portraits, two Landscapes
and a Study of a Boy’s head; in 1770 he con-
tributed a large Landscape, five Portraits and a
Book of drawings; and in 1772 his pictures
numbered no fewer than fifteen. In 1774 he,
however, sent nothing, and although he was per-
suaded to exhibit again later, he was never really
en rapport with the Society and he eventually
withdrew altogether.
Whilst Gainsborough was dividing his time
at Bath between painting portraits and enjoying
the society of his musical and dramatic friends,
his fame ever on the increase, something like a
revolution was taking place in the art world of
London, which had now become, through the
foundation of the Royal Academy, a recognized
art centre even in the judgment of hostile foreign
critics. Gainsborough, though he had had no-
thing to do with the foundation of the new
society, was from the first treated with great
consideration and respect by its members. He
was indeed made an R.A., if not exactly against
his will, yet certainly without his formal consent,
and he was never really cordial in his relations
with his fellow Academicians. To the first Ex-
hibition he sent two Portraits, two Landscapes
and a Study of a Boy’s head; in 1770 he con-
tributed a large Landscape, five Portraits and a
Book of drawings; and in 1772 his pictures
numbered no fewer than fifteen. In 1774 he,
however, sent nothing, and although he was per-
suaded to exhibit again later, he was never really
en rapport with the Society and he eventually
withdrew altogether.