Blue Boy

...he could be 15 or 10 for all I can tell.... I agree, and I think his indeterminate age is part of what makes the portrait so compelling. Wikipedia suggests the actual model was his nephew, who would have been 15 or 16. But it also points out that the costume was historical, not from the time of the painting (about 1770). Gainsborough was referencing a famous double portrait by Anthony van Dyck of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and son the reputed lover of James I of England, and his brother. Both portraits can be viewed on the Wikipedia page below. The Van Dyck painting is thought to have been executed around 1635, meaning George would have been about seven. So Gainsborough might well have wanted to make his subject look younger than his actual age. I agree too that the Blue Boy "really is asking for it." This contrasts with the shy Greek boy, but that makes it an appropriate comparison. Reticence was perhaps not valued in 1770 (or even in 1635) the way it was in ancient Athens. Though another interpretation might emphasize that Blue Boy was not produced with the "pederastic gaze" in mind, at least not to the same extent as the Greek drinking vessel. The Blue Boy has often been subjected to that gaze, but in 1770 Gainsborough may have felt he had at least plausible deniability with regard to such imprecations. Your posts are always awesome. If I rarely comment on them, that's because imho commentary would usually be superfluous. hugzu ;-p (https site) Blue Boy (Wikipedia) [@nonymouse] [Guardster] [Proxify] [Anonymisierungsdienst]