Mrs Siddons
- Artist: Thomas Gainsborough
- Date: 1785
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the "Mrs Siddons" by Thomas Gainsborough. Painted in 1785, during a pivotal time in the actress's career, this portrait showcases Mrs Siddons out of character and in fashionable contemporary dress. Note the black beaver hat with ribbon and ostrich feathers, and the blue striped 'wrapping-gown', which would have been easy for her to slip on and off between performances.
Gainsborough seemed to struggle capturing Mrs Siddons's distinctive features, and is said to have exclaimed: "Confound the nose, there's no end to it!" The sombre red curtain framing her head adds a sense of drama, reminiscent of portraits by Rubens and Van Dyck. At the time Gainsborough painted her, Mrs Siddons was playing her greatest role – Lady Macbeth – and something of that power and passion can be felt in this portrait.
Considered by some as one of Gainsborough's masterpieces, "Mrs Siddons" is a testament to his skill as a painter, and the enduring impact of this remarkable actress.
See it in person
Mrs Siddons hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
