Gainsborough 24 October 2002 - 19 January 2002

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Tristram and Fox
Tristram and Fox about 1770
Oil on canvas
Tate
 Tristram and Fox
These are Gainsborough's two pets, named after the hero of Laurence Sterne's novel Tristram Shandy, and the leader of the opposition, Charles James Fox.

Kindness to animals, and an understanding of their different natures, was one of the platforms of sensibility. Gainsborough presents his dogs not as sporting or working animals but as companions, and sentient beings in their own right. The painting originally showed more of Tristram, to the right, but was later cut down.

Henry 3rd Duke of Buccleuch
The young Duke was a popular landlord; his friend Walter Scott said 'his name was never mentioned without praise by the rich and benedictions by the poor'. His kindly expression, the graceful tilt of his head and affectionate embrace of his dog, show him as a man of feeling. This does not mean that he neglected his social status: the half-hidden star of the Order of the Thistle and the low viewpoint made sure that viewers were aware of his rank.		 Henry 3rd Duke of Buccleuch
Henry 3rd Duke of Buccleuch about 1770
Oil on canvas
In the collection of The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensbury