Thomas Gainsborough: A Master of Light and Landscape Thomas Gainsborough, a name synonymous with the quintessential English countryside and the subtle grace of portraiture, was born in Sudbury, Suffolk, on May 14th, 1727. His early life, steeped in the traditions of a cloth-merchant family, seemed destined for a predictable path – an apprenticeship in silversmithing. However, a youthful fascination with drawing and a fortuitous encoun…