Best Loved Paintings: Pinkie and Blue Boy

by Robert R. Wark

This handsome gift volume reveals the stories behind the Huntington's best-known paintings, The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough and Pinkie by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Purchased by Henry E. Huntington in the 1920s, the two masterpieces have resided together in the railroad magnate's mansion-turned-art gallery in San Marino, California, for more than seventy years. Who were the children in these paintings and why did these leading artists choose them as subjects? These and many other intriguing questions are answered by renowned art historian Robert R. Wark. Sixteen color plates feature Pinkie and the Blue Boy as well as other related paintings.

Genres: Art

80 pages, Hardcover

First published February 22, 1998

Reviews

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this "gift volume" for several years and finally decided to read it in preparation for our next visit to the Huntington. While I've seen these paintings in person several times, they've never been among my favorites. This small volume underscores the fact that even having a little bit of knowledge about the history of a painting can make it more interesting to look at.

[Rick Vickers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just enough information on the two famous paintings exhibited at the Huntington Library.

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This handsome gift volume reveals the stories behind the Huntington's best-known paintings, "The Blue Boy" by Thomas Gainsborough and "Pinkie" by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Purchased by Henry E. Huntington in the 1920s, the two masterpieces have resided together in the railroad magnate's mansion-turned-art gallery in San Marino, California, for more than seventy years. Who were the children in these paintings and why did these leading artists choose them as subjects? These and many other intriguing questions are answered by renowned art historian Robert R. Wark. Sixteen color plates feature "Pinkie" and "the Blue Boy" as well as other related paintings.