Johann Christian Bach

Gainsborough, Thomas (1727-1788)

Item type:

painting

Date of creation:

1776-1788

Height:

75.5 cm  (29 3/4 in.)

Width:

62.0 cm  (24 7/16 in.)

Technique / Medium:

oil on canvas

Description

Known as the 'English Bach', the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Christian studied in Italy before settling in London in 1762; here he made his name through his public concerts and operas. Bach chose his close friend Gainsborough to paint his portrait for the gallery of famous musicians being formed by his master, Padre Martini, at Bologna; this second version may have been painted for Bach himself.

People as subjects

Bach, Johann Christian (1735-1782) (Composer portrait)

Musical works

illegible music notation

RIdIM images

Image URLs

image link 2
image link 3

Bibliographic references

Schuetze, George C. Convergences in music and art: A bibliographic study (Warren, Mich.: Harmonie Park Press, 2005) 192. ISBN 9780899901305. RILM 2005-12224.

Notes

A copy of an original from 1776, meant for Bach to keep while the other was in a gallery. Another copy by Gainsborough is in the Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica di Bologna (RIdIM 4648)

RIdIM record id

5509

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