How did Anthony van Dyck influence Thomas Gainsborough’s portraits?

Anthony van Dyck was the predominating influence on Thomas Gainsborough’s later portraiture. After visiting Wilton and studying Van Dyck’s work—including making a free copy of his painting of the Pembroke family—Gainsborough adopted a more formal and elegant style to satisfy his sophisticated clientele in Bath.1

This influence manifested in several key ways:

• Design and Color: Gainsborough moved toward a dignified simplicity in design and utilized subtle, muted coloring, as seen in his 1769 portrait of Isabella, Countess of Sefton.1
• Grand Manner: In his official portraits, such as John, 4th Duke of Argyll, Gainsborough composed his subjects in the "grand manner," a style closely associated with Van Dyck.1
• Fashion and Homage: Gainsborough frequently paid homage to his hero by painting subjects in "Van Dyck dress," most notably in his famous work The Blue Boy.12

By integrating these elements, Gainsborough evolved from his earlier, more informal portrait style into a master of the formal, elegant portraiture that defined his later career.12