Thomas Gainsborough’s “Carelessness”: Portraiture, Technique and Individuality

Thomas Gainsborough’s “Carelessness”: Portraiture, Technique and Individuality

This article delves into Thomas Gainsborough’s distinctive painting style, characterised by fluid, expressive brushwork, and how it was perceived by his contemporaries as a form of “carelessness.” By revealing the mechanics of his craft, Gainsborough simultaneously inscribed his work within the pres...

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Vydáno v:URI:https://journals.openedition.org/interfaces,
Hlavní autor: Gould, Sarah
Médium: Article ou chapitre numérique
Jazyk:Anglais
Vydáno: Interfaces 2024
Témata:
portrait
matérialité
Reynolds (Joshua)
Gainsborough (Thomas)
sprezzatura
texture
individualité
materiality
portraiture
individuality
On-line přístup:Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM
Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM
id openedition-oai:revues.org:interfaces_8648
record_format openedition
spelling openedition-oai:revues.org:interfaces_8648 https://doi.org/10.4000/122dk urn:doi:10.4000/122dk en https://journals.openedition.org/interfaces/8648 2024-07-20T02:00:00Z info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article info:eu-repo/semantics/article urn:handle:20.500.13089/122dk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Thomas Gainsborough’s “Carelessness”: Portraiture, Technique and Individuality Interfaces Université Bourgogne Europe info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2647-6754 info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/1164-6225 URI:https://journals.openedition.org/interfaces Gould, Sarah portrait matérialité Reynolds (Joshua) Gainsborough (Thomas) sprezzatura texture individualité materiality Reynolds (Joshua) Gainsborough (Thomas) portraiture sprezzatura texture individuality This article delves into Thomas Gainsborough’s distinctive painting style, characterised by fluid, expressive brushwork, and how it was perceived by his contemporaries as a form of “carelessness.” By revealing the mechanics of his craft, Gainsborough simultaneously inscribed his work within the prestigious lineage of the Old Masters, while also redefining the concepts of portraiture and identity. The article explores the historical lineage of his technique, noting that Gainsborough’s “odd scratches,” as described by Joshua Reynolds, are reminiscent of a painting tradition identified by the art historian Nicola Suthor as “bravura.” Yet it also addresses a specific cultural context by discussing the perceived femininity of Gainsborough’s style and its significant role in shaping the evolving concept of individuality during the late 18th century. The article argues that Gainsborough’s deliberate “studied carelessness” contributed to the new regime of individuality prevalent in the age of sensibility. Furthermore, it examines the influence of Gainsborough’s technique in shaping a national art school in Britain and his impact on late Victorian artists, emphasising the dual nature of his style as both an expression of individual genius and a reflection of broader trends in British art. Cet article examine le style de peinture distinctif de Thomas Gainsborough, caractérisé par un coup de pinceau fluide et expressif, et la manière dont il a été perçu par ses contemporains comme une forme de « négligence ». En révélant les techniques de son art, Gainsborough a inscrit son œuvre dans la lignée prestigieuse des Maîtres anciens, tout en redéfinissant les concepts de portrait et d’identité. L’article explore la filiation historique de son style, notant que les « griffures étranges » de Gainsborough, telles que décrites par Joshua Reynolds, s’inscrivent dans une tradition picturale identifiée par l’historienne de l’art Nicola Suthor sous le nom de « bravura ». Il aborde également un contexte culturel spécifique, en évoquant la féminité perçue du style de Gainsborough et son rôle significatif dans l’évolution du concept d’individualité dans la deuxième moitié du XVIIIe siècle. L’article soutient que la « négligence étudiée » de Gainsborough a contribué au nouveau régime d’individualité prévalant à l’époque de la sensibilité. En outre, il examine l’influence de la technique de Gainsborough sur la formation d’une école d’art nationale en Grande-Bretagne et son impact sur les artistes de la fin de l’ère victorienne, mettant en lumière la nature double de son style, à la fois expression de son génie individuel et reflet de tendances plus larges dans l'art britannique.
collection OpenEdition Journal
language Anglais
format Article ou chapitre numérique
building 0/Bibliothèque numérique/
1/Bibliothèque numérique/OpenEdition Journals/
topic portrait
matérialité
Reynolds (Joshua)
Gainsborough (Thomas)
sprezzatura
texture
individualité
materiality
Reynolds (Joshua)
Gainsborough (Thomas)
portraiture
sprezzatura
texture
individuality
spellingShingle portrait
matérialité
Reynolds (Joshua)
Gainsborough (Thomas)
sprezzatura
texture
individualité
materiality
Reynolds (Joshua)
Gainsborough (Thomas)
portraiture
sprezzatura
texture
individuality
Gould, Sarah
Thomas Gainsborough’s “Carelessness”: Portraiture, Technique and Individuality
description This article delves into Thomas Gainsborough’s distinctive painting style, characterised by fluid, expressive brushwork, and how it was perceived by his contemporaries as a form of “carelessness.” By revealing the mechanics of his craft, Gainsborough simultaneously inscribed his work within the prestigious lineage of the Old Masters, while also redefining the concepts of portraiture and identity. The article explores the historical lineage of his technique, noting that Gainsborough’s “odd scratches,” as described by Joshua Reynolds, are reminiscent of a painting tradition identified by the art historian Nicola Suthor as “bravura.” Yet it also addresses a specific cultural context by discussing the perceived femininity of Gainsborough’s style and its significant role in shaping the evolving concept of individuality during the late 18th century. The article argues that Gainsborough’s deliberate “studied carelessness” contributed to the new regime of individuality prevalent in the age of sensibility. Furthermore, it examines the influence of Gainsborough’s technique in shaping a national art school in Britain and his impact on late Victorian artists, emphasising the dual nature of his style as both an expression of individual genius and a reflection of broader trends in British art.
author Gould, Sarah
author_facet Gould, Sarah
author_sort Gould, Sarah
title Thomas Gainsborough’s “Carelessness”: Portraiture, Technique and Individuality
title_short Thomas Gainsborough’s “Carelessness”: Portraiture, Technique and Individuality
title_full Thomas Gainsborough’s “Carelessness”: Portraiture, Technique and Individuality
title_fullStr Thomas Gainsborough’s “Carelessness”: Portraiture, Technique and Individuality
title_full_unstemmed Thomas Gainsborough’s “Carelessness”: Portraiture, Technique and Individuality
title_sort thomas gainsborough’s “carelessness”: portraiture, technique and individuality
publisher Interfaces
publishDate 2024
container_title URI:https://journals.openedition.org/interfaces
url https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://doi.org/10.4000/122dk
https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://journals.openedition.org/interfaces/8648
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