Lord Bernard Stuart (1622-1645)

This portrait of Lord Bernard Stuart is a direct copy of Van Dyck’s larger portrait titled 'Lord John Stuart and his Brother, Lord Bernard Stuart', and shows the influence Van Dyck had on Gainsborough’s work. Although Gainsborough made many copies of the Old Masters, it was Van Dyck that he most frequently returned to. This painting is one of three copies of Lord Bernard Stuart that Gainsborough produced. Gainsborough made a number of copies of paintings by Van Dyck, and several from his double portrait from which this head-and-shoulders study is taken. At the time, Van Dyck’s picture was in the collection of the Darnleys of Cobham Hall in Kent. It is thought that Gainsborough visited the house in order to make his copy.

Purchased with an anonymous donation given through the National Art Collections Fund and the Gainsborough's House Society Development Trust and a donation from a trust, November 1995.