Woman with a Spaniel
Maker
Thomas Gainsborough
(British, 1727-1788)
Collections
ClassificationsPAINTINGS
Dateca. 1749
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensions30 x 25 in. (76.2 x 63.5 cm.)
DescriptionThis painting portrays a woman seated in a landscape. A spaniel dog is seated at her feet to the left. Dressed in pink silk dress with white ruffles at sleeve openings, the sitter is holding a book in her left hand, resting her right arm on the protruding root of a tree just behind her.
Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Label TextPortraiture provided Gainsborough’s livelihood, but landscapes were his passion. He explored both interests in this early painting celebrating the delights of rural life. An elegantly attired woman, accompanied by her attentive dog, strikes a formal pose in a rustic setting. The young Gainsborough is also exploring style: the pastel colors and undulating, sinuous lines are derived from French rococo art.Status
On viewObject number47.1
