The Blue Boy
The artist
Thomas Gainsborough, an English painter who loved painting people and the green countryside.
What you see
A young boy stands proudly in a shiny blue suit, holding his hat, with a soft sky behind him.
The story
Gainsborough painted this cheerful portrait around 1770 in England, dressing the boy in old-fashioned clothes.
The style
He painted the blue silk with quick, feathery brushstrokes so the suit seems to shimmer and shine.
Look closer
Look how many shades of blue there are, from bright sky-blue highlights to deep shadowy blues.
Where to see it
You can see this painting at the Huntington in California, which is far from where it was first painted.
Fun fact
The boy in blue is so beloved that many people know him even without knowing his real name.