Who made it?
This painting was created by an English artist named, Thomas Gainsborough, in 1770.
Where is the REAL one?
The real painting can be seen at The Huntington Collection Library in San Marino, CA.
Why is this artwork important?
The Blue Boy is Gainsborough's most famous artwork out of the hundreds he painted. It is believed to be the portrait of the son of a wealthy merchant, however, there is no proof. Most likely it is a tribute to a much earlier artist, Anthony Van Dyck (1559-1641), whom Gainsborough greatly admired. We know this because the portrait features historical costume. The Blue Boy is wearing clothing that was in fashion over a hundred years before this picture was painted. In fact, The Blue Boy bears a strong resemblance to Van Dyck's painting, George and Francis Villiers, which is another portrait of young boys dressed in cavalier costumes.
While being a successful portrait painter, Gainsborough prefered to paint landscapes and would often try to work natural scenery into the portrait backgrounds as he does in The Blue Boy. However, what makes this painting so striking from Gainsborough's other works is the strong, dignified pose of the boy, the glow of his face from the darker background, and the highlighting on his satin suit and left leg as it steps forward. These subtle elements show us Gainsborough's mastery of skill as a painter.
