Anna Reynolds: "The Apollo of the Palace": Gainsborough, Fashion, and the Royal Family

On April 29, 2026, Anna Reynolds, Surveyor of The King’s Pictures, Royal Collection Trust, presented this lecture in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium at the Frick. In her talk, Reynolds explored the role of clothing in Gainsborough’s royal portraits, offering a holistic view of his career that considered both the key artistic influences shaping his depictions of dress and the impact of his work on later artists. Close comparison with surviving eighteenth‑century garments illuminated how Gainsborough translated three‑dimensional fashions into compelling two‑dimensional images. A detailed examination of the paintings themselves shone light on the unconventional working methods that enabled him to create “beautiful things from unlikely subjects.”

This program was part of "Fashion Week at the Frick" (April 28 to May 4), a celebration of art and dress inspired by the exhibitions Gainsborough: The Fashion of Portraiture and Ruffles & Ribbons: Fashion Plates from the Time of Marie Antoinette.