Thomas Gainsborough RA (1727-1788). Born in Sudbury, Suffolk youngest child and fifth son of John Gainsborough. Moved to London in 1740. Pupil of Hubert Francois Gravelot a French artist and engraver and possibly Francis Hayman (1708-1776). Influenced by Dutch 17th century landscape painting. Early landscapes close to the work of Wynants, Ruisdael and Hobbema. Worked in Sudbury c. 1748 painting portraits and moved to Ipswich c. 1750. Moved to Bath in 1759 in order to find clients and was much in demand there as a fashionable portrait painter. Works show the influence of Van Dyck (1599-1641). Moved to London in 1774. Landscape work continued being less observed and more composed and Arcadian in approach. Exhibited at the Society of Artists in 1761 and was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768. Ceased to exhibit there after 1784 following a picture hanging dispute. During the 1780s works show the influence of Murillo (1617/18-1682). Later landscapes influenced by the paintings of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). Ruskin thought very highly of Gainsborough (see Ruskin and Gainsborough).