Sudbury - Birthplace Of Gainsborough

Exploration of Thomas Gainsborough's birthplace

This first shot shows St. Peter's Church. A car passes and there are other pedestrians in the town square. The second shot shows the statue of Thomas Gainsborough. The house where he was born features. Pedestrians pass by and there is a close up shot of the commemorative plaque on the wall. After a brief shot of a timbered house, there are shots of the surrounding countryside. These are very good shots of reflections in water. The final scenes are of Tudor houses in Suffolk. One of these is Battingdon Hall

Featured Buildings

St. Peter's Church, Sudbury; Gainsborough's House, Sudbury; Battingdon Hall

Keywords

Artists; biography

Intertitles

As a boy he sketched the picturesque paths and streams around the old town. These quaint Tudor houses are found among his youthful sketches. In a little churchyard at Kew, the painter of 'Blue Boy' was laid to rest.

Other Places

Sudbury

Background Information

Thomas Gainsborough. Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk, the eighth of nine children of a textile manufacturer. His date of birth is unknown but he was baptised on May 14th 1727 at the Independent Meeting House. He moved to London during the early 1740s and worked as a picture restorer and as an apprentice, painting background and minor figures for other artists, including Wynants. He also drew scenes to be made into engravings from the print trade. Unlike Constable, who had a private income, that allowed him artistic freedom, Gainsborough's father had been declared bankrupt when he was six years old. In 1746, he married Margaret Burr who had an annuity of £200 a year. This was discovered later to come from the Duke of Beaufort, suggesting that she was his illegitimate daughter. However, Gainsborough had to earn a living from art and although he painted some landscapes, is remembered for his portraiture. His clients included the Duke and Duchess of Bedford, the Duke of Buccleugh, The Duke and Duchess of Cumberland, the Duchess of Montagu and the Duchess of Richmond, as well as many other wealthy, titled people. By 1776, Gainsborough was able to charge 40 guineas for a head, 80 guineas for a half length portrait and 160 guineas for a full length portrait. Even so, he spent most of his life in debt. Before his marriage he had developed a taste for drink and women. He continued to live beyond his means. Some of Gainsborough's notable landscapes include The Market Cart, Peasant Smoking At The Cottage Door, Landscape with Farming Scenes and Landscape with Gypsies. Gainsborough died from cancer on 3rd August, 1788.