Gainsborough was born at Sudbury, in Suffolk, in 1727, and had the good
fortune to take Nature for his mistress in art, and her to follow
through life. Respecting this painter, memory is strong in his native
place. A beautiful wood, of four miles extent, is shown, whose ancient
trees, winding glades, and sunny nooks inspired him while yet a
school-boy with the love of art. Scenes are pointed out where he used to
sit and fill his copy-books with pencillings of flowers and trees, and
whatever pleased his fancy. No fine clump of trees, no picturesque
stream nor romantic glade, no cattle grazing, nor flocks reposing, nor
peasants pursuing their work, nor pastoral occupations, escaped his
diligent pencil. He received some instruction from Gravelot; and from
Hayman, the friend of Hogarth. Having married, he settled in Ipswich;
but in his thirty-first year removed to Bath, where he was appreciated
as he deserved, and was enabled by his pencil to live respectably.
He then removed to London, where he added the lucrative branch of
portrait-painting to his favourite pursuit of landscape. The permanent
splendour of his colours, and the natural and living air which he
communicated to whatever he touched, made him at this time, in the
estimation of many, a dangerous rival of Sir Joshua himself.
Gainsborough was quite a child of nature, and everything that came from
his easel smacked strongly of that raciness, freshness, and originality,
the study of nature alone can give. “The Woodman and his Dog in the
Storm” was one of his favourite compositions; yet, while he lived, he
could find no purchaser at the paltry sum of one hundred guineas. After
his death, five hundred guineas were paid for it by Lord Gainsborough,
in whose house it was subsequently burnt. “The Shepherd’s Boy in the
Shower,” and the “Cottage Girl with her Dog and Pitcher,” were also his
prime favourites. Although having the good taste to express no contempt
for the society of literary or fashionable men, Gainsborough, unlike the
courtly Sir Joshua, cared little for their company. Music was his
passion, or rather, next to his profession, the business of his life.
Smith, in his _Life of Nollekens_, relates that he once found Colonel
Hamilton playing so exquisitely to Gainsborough on the violin, that the
artist exclaimed, “Go on, and I will give you the picture of the ‘Boy at
the Stile,’ which you have so often wished to purchase of me.” The
Colonel proceeded, and the painter stood in speechless admiration, with
tears of rapture on his cheek. Hamilton then called a coach, and carried
away the picture.