Portrait of Antonin Kammell by Sir Thomas Gainsborough

Revealing the artist’s confident brushstrokes in this previously unknown portrait by Gainsborough

This is a prime example of an artwork losing its attribution due to interference over time. When it appeared for sale at auction in December 2020, it was described only as “British School”. It looked like a Gainsborough-type painting, but layers of accumulated dirt, discoloured varnishes, and mismatched overpaint disguised the true artist’s hand. It was quite easy to walk past without a second thought. However there were indications that it might be by Gainsborough himself, tell-tale confident brushstrokes. A private collector purchased the painting and brought it to Simon Gillespie Studio.

On inspection at Simon Gillespie Studio, it was clear that much of the artist’s original paint layer was covered by later overpaint, which tellingly went over the drying cracks of the original paint. There is usually a reason why overpaint is applied: in this case, a past amateur restorer had harshly cleaned the portrait, causing abrasions which he had then disguised by adding paint and glazes. An old tear in the background had been repaired and painted over; at the same time most of the background had also been painted over.

With the new owner’s agreement, our senior conservator Majo Prieto Pedregal set to work: the old varnish and mismatched repaint were carefully removed, the old tear sympathetically repaired and the old abrasions sensitively reintegrated with retouching. The artist’s original colours are now revealed, and the portrait has regained the three dimensionality and sense of spontaneity that the artist intended. The sitter’s eyes, and the previously concealed drapery in the background, are notable details.

The picture is thought to depict the Bohemian composer Antonin Kammell who worked in Britain from 1765 until his death in 1784. Musicologist and composer Andrew Baker has written about the sitter on his website.

When the picture arrived at the studio, Simon contacted Hugh Belsey, the expert on Thomas Gainsborough and author of the catalogue raisonné of his work. Hugh was kept up to date throughout the treatment process, and wrote of this picture: “When I was first shown a photograph of the painting I thought it was a portrait by Gainsborough and that it could be dated to about 1768. The pose, the palette, the relationship between the figure and the size of the canvas all pointed to his authorship. The sitter’s thoughtful expression, seeking inspiration from beyond the confines of the painting, and the scroll of music manuscript firmly in his hand had parallels in the artist’s work at about this date. Since Simon Gillespie’s mastery conservation of the painting the sensitive brushstroke and brilliant draughtsmanship have removed any doubt about the authorship of the portrait. Gainsborough probably attended the concerts Kammel gave in Bath in 1768 and 1769 and their mutual friendship with George Pitt must have encouraged the commission.”

We were delighted that the rediscovery of this portrait drew the attention of The Observer: read the article here.