The Frick Collection is scheduled to present its first special exhibition focused on the English artist Thomas Gainsborough, marking the first time a New York institution has dedicated an exhibition exclusively to his portraiture. Titled Gainsborough: The Fashion of Portraiture, the presentation features more than two dozen paintings that examine the complex relationship between eighteenth-century attire and the artist’s work. The selection includes masterworks from all stages of Gainsborough’s career, drawn from the museum’s own holdings as well as collections in the United Kingdom and North America.
The exhibition considers Gainsborough’s canvases as both records of and active participants in the period’s conceptualization of class, wealth, craft, and social status. Curated by Aimee Ng, the museum’s Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator, the show incorporates recent technical investigations that offer insights into the artist’s process and his engagement with the materials—such as textiles, dyes, and cosmetics—that fueled the fashion industry.
Thematic and Social Constructions in Portraiture
The exhibition explores numerous themes, including the artist’s early innovation in the “conversation piece.” Notable works like Mr. and Mrs. Andrews demonstrate how Gainsborough balanced his interest in landscape painting with the requirements of formal portraiture. The presentation also addresses how these works depicted subjects not merely as fashionable, but as “people of fashion,” a distinction that carried implications for reputation and honorability.
The show further examines social hierarchies by presenting subjects ranging from aristocrats to figures on the margins of the Georgian era’s fashionable class. Alongside portraits of dukes and duchesses are depictions of musicians, actors, and the artist’s own family members. A significant pairing features Mary, Duchess of Montagu, and her servant, Ignatius Sancho. In his portrait of Sancho—a celebrated composer born into enslavement—Gainsborough portrayed the subject in the coat and waistcoat of a gentleman rather than the livery typically worn by domestic staff.
Technical Evolution and Scholarly Research
Recent scholarship highlights Gainsborough’s practice of reworking paintings to accommodate shifting trends or personal histories. The portrait of Mrs. Sheridan, for instance, was modified years after its completion to remove pastoral elements that were no longer in fashion. Additionally, the exhibition explores the use of “Van Dyck dress,” a style that emulated seventeenth-century aesthetics to evoke ancestral legacy or social standing.
The exhibition is supported by two primary publications. A 200-page catalogue authored by Ng explores the connections between the textile industry and the artist’s studio. Furthermore, a volume in the museum’s Diptych series focuses on the portrait of Hon. Frances Duncombe, featuring a contribution from fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi.
Musical and Public Programming
The exhibition will be complemented by a series of public programs, including a symposium on art and fashion and musical performances. The 2025–26 concert season will feature programs related to Gainsborough’s circle:
- Compositions of Ignatius Sancho: A program dedicated to the music of the composer whose portrait is included in the show.
- The Bach-Abel Concerts: An exploration of the eighteenth-century London musical circles frequented by the artist.
Exhibition Information
- Dates: February 12 through May 11, 2026.
- Location: The Frick Collection, 1 East 70th Street, New York, NY.
- Museum Hours: Wednesday through Monday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Admission: $30 for adults; $22 for seniors (65+) and visitors with disabilities; $17 for students with ID. Admission is free for members and youth ages 10–18.
- Tickets: Advance timed tickets are required for entry.
