Leo Martínez
Thomas Gainsborough's 'The Blue Boy' is a famed 18th-century portrait, considered a masterpiece of artistic virtuosity. The painting was sold in 1921 for $728,000, which was the highest price ever paid for a painting at the time. Adjusted for inflation, the painting would be valued at around $7.75 million in 2010 dollars, and likely much more today. The painting is currently owned by The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, and is not for sale.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Painter | Thomas Gainsborough |
| Year | 1770 |
| Subject | Portrait of a young English gentleman |
| Medium | Oil paint |
| Current location | The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California |
| Previous owners | Duke of Westminster, Henry and Arabella Huntington |
| Previous locations | London's Royal Academy of Arts, National Gallery |
| Sale price in 1921 | $728,000 or about $7.75 million in 2010 dollars |
| Average selling price of reproductions | $1,978 |
| Lowest selling price of reproductions | $395 |
| Highest selling price of reproductions | $2,782 |
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What You'll Learn
The original painting's value
Thomas Gainsborough’s (1727–1788) iconic painting "The Blue Boy" was first shown in public in the Royal Academy exhibition of 1770 as "A Portrait of a Young Gentleman", where it received high acclaim. By 1798, it was being referred to as "The Blue Boy", a nickname that has endured.
The painting was sold in 1921 to the California railroad magnate Henry Edward Huntington for $728,000, which was the highest price ever paid for a painting at the time. This sum would be equivalent to about $7.75 million in 2010 dollars and over $10 million in today's money. The sale caused an uproar in England, with King George V even being petitioned to stop the painting's departure from the country.
Before leaving for California in 1922, "The Blue Boy" was displayed at the National Gallery in London, attracting 90,000 visitors. The painting has since remained in the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, where it is currently on view in the Thornton Portrait Gallery.
"The Blue Boy" is considered a masterpiece of artistic virtuosity, showcasing Gainsborough's command of colour and mastery of brushwork. The painting has undergone several conservation and restoration efforts over the years, including a two-year project led by the museum's senior paintings conservator, Christina O'Connell, which concluded in 2015.
While the original "The Blue Boy" is not for sale, reproductions of the painting by artists such as Ken Pentony can be found on the market. The value of a reproduction in excellent condition, including the frame, can range from $1,200 in retail value to $480 in fair market value.
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Thomas Gainsborough's sale of the painting
Thomas Gainsborough's painting "The Blue Boy" was first exhibited under the name “Portrait of a Young Gentleman” at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1770. The painting immediately caused a stir due to its prominent use of blue—specifically, Prussian blue—which went against the period's preference for warm, red tones in the style of Florentine artists.
The brilliant blue suit depicted in the painting is considered to be the most beloved aspect of Gainsborough's portrait, and it is also what made it so unconventional at the time. The painting's subject, believed to be Jonathan Buttall, the son of a wealthy hardware merchant, is shown wearing a blue satin doublet and breeches with lavish gold embroidery.
In 1796, "The Blue Boy" entered into the possession of politician John Nesbitt after Buttall filed for bankruptcy. It was then purchased by portrait painter John Hoppner in 1802, and in 1809, it became part of the collection of the Earl Grosvenor. The painting remained with the Grosvenor family until it was sold by the second Duke of Westminster to California railroad magnate Henry Edward Huntington in 1921 for $728,000, which was the highest price ever paid for a painting at the time.
The sale of "The Blue Boy" was arranged by legendary art dealer Joseph Duveen, who played a significant role in introducing European masterpieces to the American nouveau riche. Before its departure to California in 1922, the painting was briefly displayed at the National Gallery in London, attracting 90,000 visitors.
The purchase of "The Blue Boy" by Henry and Arabella Huntington brought the painting to new heights of fame on both sides of the Atlantic. The painting's influence extended beyond the artistic realm, with references cropping up in popular culture, such as a 1927 Marlene Dietrich photo shoot and an in-game item in the Animal Crossing series.
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The painting's restoration
The Blue Boy, painted by Thomas Gainsborough in 1770, is a valuable piece of art with a long history of restoration and conservation. The painting was sold in 1921 to American railroad magnate Henry Huntington for $728,000, which was the highest price ever paid for a painting at the time. This would be equivalent to about $7.75 million in 2010 dollars and over $10 million in today's money.
The painting has undergone several restorations over the years to preserve its brilliance and guard against degradation. By 2015, the colours had faded, and the paint was flaking in some spots. This prompted the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, to launch a two-year conservation project led by senior paintings conservator Christina O'Connell. The project, called "Project Blue Boy," involved the use of advanced technology such as X-rays and surgical microscopes to reveal the painting's history and guide the restoration process.
During the restoration, it was discovered that Gainsborough had covered up a small image of a white dog, first detected by an X-ray in 1994. The painting's thick layers of varnish, which had built up over time, were also removed, revealing the true brilliance of the colours underneath. This restoration process was much more thorough than previous efforts, which had been done quickly to reduce the painting's time away from public view.
The Blue Boy's restoration has not only preserved the artwork but also contributed to a better understanding of Gainsborough's techniques and the painting's history. The conservation project has ensured that this iconic masterpiece will continue to be appreciated and studied for years to come.
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The painting's cultural significance
Thomas Gainsborough’s (1727–1788) iconic painting "The Blue Boy" was first shown in public in the Royal Academy exhibition of 1770 as "A Portrait of a Young Gentleman", where it received high acclaim. By 1798, it was being referred to as "The Blue Boy", a nickname that has endured. The painting is considered a masterpiece of artistic virtuosity, with Gainsborough's command of colour and mastery of brushwork on full display.
"The Blue Boy" also played a formative role in the artistic development of Kehinde Wiley, who created a large-scale work in the grand manner style entitled "A Portrait of a Young Gentleman" in 2021. Wiley encountered "The Blue Boy" and other British grand manner portraits while enrolled in art classes at The Huntington as a young man, and these stylistic representations of wealth, glory, and power influenced his own artistic practice, which focuses on the Black and brown bodies missing from the museums he visited.
Beyond its artistic influence, "The Blue Boy" has also had a significant cultural impact in terms of its popularity and reception by the public. It has been reproduced in various forms, including ceramic figures, advertisements, and fancy-dress costumes, and it has been emulated in popular culture, with characters such as Shirley Temple and the eponymous avenger of "Django Unchained" sporting looks inspired by the painting's shimmering blue suit.
The painting's sale to American railroad magnate Henry Huntington in 1921 for $728,000 (over $10 million in today's money) was also significant, as it represented the highest price ever paid for a painting at the time and brought a British treasure to the United States, imbuing the work with even greater notoriety on both sides of the Atlantic.
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The Blue Boy's identity
The Blue Boy is a life-sized portrait of an unknown boy, painted by Thomas Gainsborough in 1770. It was originally titled "A Portrait of a Young Gentleman", and the subject's identity has been the subject of much speculation.
Many historians believe the boy in the painting is Jonathan Buttall, the son of a wealthy merchant and an acquaintance of the artist. This theory is based on the fact that the painting's subject is dressed in outdated clothing for the time, which would have been in fashion around 130 years earlier, during the lifetime of Gainsborough's idol, Anthony Van Dyck. The painting's palette and style were also heavily influenced by Van Dyck's preference for grand, full-length portraiture, and the luminous outfits worn in his most influential pieces.
However, others believe that the painting was not based on any one individual, but rather a character study of the aristocratic type who would have attended kitschy masquerade balls. This theory is supported by the fact that the same costume appeared in several earlier portraits by Gainsborough, including two of his nephews, Edward Richard Gardiner and Gainsborough Dupont, who also worked as his studio assistant and may have modelled for the painting.
The painting's bold use of blue, particularly Prussian blue, and green for a cool wash, was a departure from the period's preference for warm, red tones in the style of Florentine artists. This caused a stir when the painting was first unveiled and may have been a deliberate choice by Gainsborough to contradict the advice of Sir Joshua Reynolds, who had said that blue tones were better suited as accent colours.
The Blue Boy has been the subject of much imitation and homage, with the likeness of the boy emulated in popular culture, from Shirley Temple to the eponymous avenger of Django Unchained, and referenced in various films and television shows. It has also been cited by artists as a major influence, including Robert Rauschenberg and Kehinde Wiley, who created a large-scale work in the grand manner style, inspired by Gainsborough's original, titled "A Portrait of a Young Gentleman".
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Frequently asked questions
The Blue Boy is a painting by Thomas Gainsborough, first shown in public in 1770.
The Blue Boy painting was sold for $728,000 in 1921, which was the highest price ever paid for a painting at the time.
The original Blue Boy painting is currently located at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.
The current value of the Blue Boy painting is estimated to be over $10 million.
Yes, the Blue Boy painting was loaned to the National Gallery in London for a four-month exhibition from January 25 to May 3, 2022.
