Gainsborough sketches revealed at Windsor

SKETCHES by Gainsborough have been discovered at Windsor Castle after being mistaken for the work of another painter for more than a century, it has emerged.

The 26 drawings by the 18th century landscape and portrait artist had been credited to Sir Edwin Landseer, a favourite of Queen Victoria. They were discovered inside an album in the Royal Collection at the royal residence.

Lindsay Stainton, a Gainsborough specialist who has worked for the British Museum, immediately recognised them as the artist’s works while examining a number of drawings on a visit to Windsor Castle.

How they came into the possession of Landseer is a not known, but after his death in 1873, Queen Victoria asked if the Royal Library could acquire some of his drawings. The collection was put into an album, but it has now emerged that “tucked away” within them were some of Gainsborough’s works.

“The executors thought they were by Landseer as they were from his studio. One of the mysteries is how on earth he acquired them. He wasn’t really a collector of other artists’ work,” Ms Stainton told the Guardian.