Gainsborough's blue boy : the return of a British icon / Christine Riding ; with contributions by Susanna Avery-Quash, Melinda McCurdy, Jacqueline Riding and Imogen Tedbury.
Publisher:
National Gallery Company,
Copyright Date:
2022
Description:
88 pages : color illustrations, color portraits ; 27 cm
"Published to accompany the exhibition Gainsborough's Blue Boy [held at] at The National Gallery, London, 25 January - 15 May 2022."--Title page verso. Includes bibliographical references (pages 84-86).
Summary:
Marking the return of Gainsborough's Blue Boy to the UK exactly 100 years since it left for the United States, this richly illustrated publication will explore the lasting influence of this iconic painting on British art and culture. During the nineteenth century, the painting's fame grew and full-length portraits by Gainsborough and his contemporaries became much sought after by wealthy American collectors. The sale of The Blue Boy to the American railroad magnate and collector Henry E. Huntington in 1921 was unsurprisingly viewed as a national tragedy-emblematic of a shift in economic and cultural power. However, its afterlife, as a permanent ambassador for British art, has undoubtedly fed into ideas of Britain and Britishness - its history, society, culture and character - that still resonate today. Including a select group of paintings that demonstrate the profound influence of Sir Anthony van Dyck and the old master tradition on Gainsborough's practice and identity, Gainsborough's Blue Boy will examine this masterpiece within the context of the National Gallery's collection.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.