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Charles Tudway, MP (1713–1774)
Thomas Gainsborough·1765
Historical Context
Gainsborough's Charles Tudway, MP of around 1765 depicts the Somerset Member of Parliament and Wells Cathedral landowner with the combination of civic authority and country gentleman's ease that Gainsborough developed so effectively in his Bath period. Tudway's parliamentary service and his family's significant landholding made him an important figure in Somerset society, and Gainsborough's portrait creates the appropriate image of landed authority and civic responsibility.
Technical Analysis
The Bath-period handling is evident in the warmer, more atmospheric treatment compared to Gainsborough's earlier Suffolk portraits. The face is modelled with the soft, blended tones that characterize his developing mature manner, while the costume is treated with increasing painterly freedom.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the warmer, more atmospheric treatment compared to Gainsborough's earlier Suffolk portraits: the Bath period's developing influence on his handling is visible.
- ◆Look at the face: soft, blended tones characteristic of the developing mature manner rather than the precise early Suffolk style.
- ◆Observe the increasing painterly freedom in the costume: broad, confident handling beginning to replace the careful description of his provincial manner.
- ◆Find the civic bearing of an MP: Tudway's political authority and social standing are communicated through posture and expression within the Bath period's more relaxed convention.
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