How are Thomas Gainsborough’s fancy pictures different from ordinary portraits?

Thomas Gainsborough’s "fancy pictures," produced primarily during the 1780s, differ from his ordinary portraits in their subject matter and intent. While his standard portraiture focused on capturing the likeness of specific, often fashionable or prominent sitters, his fancy pictures were full-sized, idealized depictions of country children and peasants.1

These works were painted from models rather than commissioned by the subjects themselves, allowing Gainsborough greater creative freedom. Unlike the formal, often grand-manner portraits designed to reflect the status of his clientele, the fancy pictures—such as The Cottage Girl with a Bowl of Milk—were intended to evoke a more rustic, idealized vision of rural life. Gainsborough found particular pleasure in creating these pieces, which were influenced by his interest in the work of the 17th-century Spanish painter Bartolomé Murillo.1