The fascinating story of how Thomas Gainsborough turned his childhood love of sketching into a magnificent painting career is told with understanding in this biography of the famous English portrait and landscape painter. While showing how Gainsborough's professional career developed, the author provides much insight into the man's personal character and feelings.

While still in his teens, Gainsborough went to work for a portrait painter and began to develop his own unique way of using a paintbrush. He also started painting landscapes from his boyhood sketches of the countryside. In both genres he became highly skillful and found great success. Painting was not the only art field Gainsborough sought to conquer. He loved music and took refuge from his easel in the numerous musical instruments he played. Later in his life he experimented with light and created his famous "peep show" landscapes.

From the dust jacket.