Gainsborough’s House in Subbury consists of the original house in which the artist lived, as well as a fine, smallish, garden. But combined with this are several galleries containing pictures by Gainsborough and by others, many on loan from other collections.

Two paintings in particular were of interest to me.

The frame for this painting says that it was by Gainsborought and the subject is William Cowper.  Having visited the Cowper and Newton Museum not long before I was interested to know whether this was the William Cowper.  The information to the side of the painting simply says that it is of a Gentleman with a dog circa 1746. It makes no mention of what the plaque on the frame says.  If it was Cowper he would have been about 15 years and there appears to be nothing to link him such that Gainsborough would made such a painting.

The staff were very helpful and infromed me that it was not unusual the owners of paintings over the years to mount a painting on a better frame and not amend the plaque. This is what the experts think happened. 

The following portrait is probably not an authentic Gainsborough!  It looks good though.

Visited 8th July 2025