Life and Laughter in the 18th Century

The current exhibition at Gainsborough’s House showcases the work of the eighteenth Century caricaturist, Henry William Bunbury.  The pictures on display are mainly drawn from Gainsborough’s House’s own extensive collection of his work.

Born in Suffolk in 1750 Bunbury was one of a generation of caricaturists who laid the foundations of today’s comic strips and cartoons.  The second son of a Baronet, Bunbury was the Colonel of the Suffolk Militia. On becoming the equerry of the Duke of York in the 1780’s he found that he had time on his hand to indulge his enthusiasm for drawing.   His style is somewhat less acerbic than those of fellow satirists, Rowlandson and Gilray, and it is said that he never seriously offended the great and good of the day, many of whom were well known to him.

Nonetheless his pictures are interesting and certainly worth a trip into Sudbury.

 The exhibition Life and Laughter in the Eighteenth Century.  Henry William Bunbury 1750 – 1811

runs until 16^th March.