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| Joris Van der Hagen (1615 - 1669), View of Kleef, c. 1660. |
It is a particularly good time to plan a visit since, in addition to
the permanent exhibition, there are three exceptional temporary displays to
enjoy at the moment.
This spring and summer some landscape
paintings owned by Gainsborough's House have gone to Holland. They are
among the works on display in the first ever Dutch exhibition of Thomas
Gainsborough, Gainsborough in his own words,
at the Rijksmuseum Twenthe. In exchange
nine important landscape paintings from the Dutch Golden Age by artists such as
Jan van Kessel and Joris van der Haagen are currently on show in Sudbury. Gainsborough is known to have been much
influenced by the Dutch landscape tradition of the seventeenth century and it
is marvellous to be able to appreciate these impressive canvasses at first
hand. They look very fine on the walls
of Gainsborough’s House and you can see them until 24th July.
In addition to the Dutch landscapes, in the Upper Bow Room you can see a collection
of drawings by Hubert Francois Gravelot (1699-1773). A French artist and engraver who emigrated
from France to England in 1732, Gravelot was central to the promotion of the
Rococo style in this country. Gainsborough’s drawing master when the young
artist left Sudbury in his teens, Gravelot specialised in book illustrations
and prints and is thought to have stimulated Gainsborough’s interest in print
and printmaking.
In the Back Exhibition Gallery there is a unique display by the Romantic artist Samuel Palmer (1805 -1881). On loan from a private collection, the atmospheric etchings which are inspired by the English countryside, reward close attention.
On Sundays Gainsborough's House is open from 11 a.m until 5 p.m.
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