Gainsborough's art for Tate

A MAJOR exhibition of Thomas Gainsborough's work, including paintings currently housed in Ipswich, is to take place at Tate Britain in London.

The show will include three of his paintings –William Wollaston, Holywells Park, Ipswich and Cottage Door with Girl and Pigs – lent by Ipswich Borough Council Museums and Galleries.

"We are delighted to have been asked to loan our paintings to this

important international exhibition" said councillor John Mowles.

"It underlines the importance and significance of Ipswich Borough Council Museum's art collections. It also helps to raise the profile of Ipswich abroad "

The exhibition will bring together the largest group of works by Gainsborough ever gathered, including paintings and drawings from public and private collections in Britain, Europe and America, with loans from the National Gallery, London, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the

Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin and the National

Gallery of Art, Washington. The exhibition will open at Tate Britain in

London in October 2002 and travel to Washington and Boston in America the following year.

William Wollaston and Holywells Park have been included in the show touring the States, and will return to Ipswich in late September/October 2003. Cottage Door with Girl and Pigs will only be on display at the Tate, and will return to Ipswich in January 2003.

On their return all the paintings will be put back on display for the enjoyment of the public visiting Christchurch Mansion.

N Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury.

N After a period of study in London, he returned to Sudbury in 1748 to practice art.

N In 1752 he moved to Ipswich and rented a house in Foundation Street.

N Gainsborough made a living by painting portraits of local professional people and occasionally landed gentry.

N He remained in Ipswich until 1759, when he moved to Bath. He died in 1788.