5. Thomas Gainsborough, 1727-1788
Master Jonathan Buttall: "Blue Boy"

     It is a commonplace of art history to relate that the artist Gainsborough rejected the teaching in his day that a "cool" color could not serve as the central element in a composition, creating this painting to refute the argument. Whatever the truth of the legend, this remains one of Gainsborough's strongest portraits, and a contender for the title of the world's most popular painting. When it was purchased by Henry Huntington of California in 1921, the price paid was the highest ever for a work of art.
     Gainsborough's portraits are too often disappointingly weightless and shallow in draftsmanship. Here, however, the master displays a sure sense of form and volume. The "ideal" English landscape, which can be meaningless, here contributes gravity and drama to the overall effect. Even the young aristocrat appeals to us on the human level.

Huntington Library and Gallery, San Marino