Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • An 18th-century English artist: Thomas Gainsborough was a prominent British painter, renowned for his portraits and landscape paintings. He was a founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts and is considered one of the most important British artists of his time.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The museum is hosting a special exhibition featuring works by Thomas Gainsborough.
  • Thomas Gainsborough is often compared with his contemporary, Sir Joshua Reynolds.
  • Her favorite painting is "The Blue Boy," a famous portrait by Thomas Gainsborough.

Advanced Usage

• "In the style of Gainsborough": describing a portrait or landscape that evokes the aesthetic qualities characteristic of his work, such as elegant poses, feathery brushwork, and a sense of atmospheric light.
  • The photographer aimed for a portrait in the style of Gainsborough, with a soft, romantic background.

Variants and Related Words

• Gainsboroughesque (adj): resembling or characteristic of the style of Thomas Gainsborough.
  • The artist's Gainsboroughesque landscapes were highly praised.

Synonyms

• Portraitist: a painter who specializes in portraits.
• Landscapist: a painter who specializes in landscapes.

Related Phrases

• "The Gainsborough touch": a phrase sometimes used to refer to the distinctive, graceful, and seemingly effortless technique seen in his paintings.
  • The painting's delicate rendering of the fabric had the Gainsborough touch.

Noun

1. English portrait and landscape painter (1727-1788)