The Blue Boy

Forget the mouse pads and refrigerator magnets. Forget the lamps and pillows. Forget the Christmas ornaments and coffee mugs. This blue boy has captivated imaginations for almost 100 years and shows up on new chachkies regularly. Try to look at The Blue Boy with fresh eyes and appreciate the achievement of the painting. In person it is almost life-sized; it makes an undeniable impact, commanding a room and drawing in viewers. This work is carefully composed, consciously colored, and masterfully painted. Gainsborough sets the figure amidst a spectacular landscape that could stand on its own but at the same time serves as a harmonious balance to the portrait. The young man is actually dressed in historical clothing (even for his time); his ensemble would be more at home in the 1670s than the late 18th century. The clothes are a nod to the English court paintings of Anthony van Dyck, an artist greatly admired by Gainsborough. The young man is thought to be, though this is unconfirmed, Jonathan Buttall (1752–1805), the son of a wealthy hardware merchant. The painting remained in the family for almost 30 years before Jonathan sold it in 1796 as part of a bankruptcy filing (if it is indeed Jonathan, he lived with a glorious reminder of his 18-year-old self for most of his adult life). Almost 250 years later, we continue to celebrate The Blue Boy and the creative genius of Gainsborough.

- Brad

Oh my, such beautiful colors! We recently showed this painting in the article "Looking For A Hat Inspiration? Best Hats From Paintings" on DailyArtDaily.com. See you tomorrow :))