Museum for renowned 18th Century painter wins award

The birthplace of one of the most important British artists in the 18th Century, which is now a museum, has won a major award.

Gainsborough House in Sudbury, Suffolk, was home to Thomas Gainsborough - a founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts.

It has been named winner of Building of the Year in the Royal Institute of British Architects' (RIBA) East Awards.

The RIBA jury said it was impressed to see "a significant regional and national museum emerge from the adaptation of what was previously a small, local resource".

The awards have been presented since 1966 and RIBA said they set the standard for great architecture across the country.

The jury said Gainsborough House had undertaken "careful and critical conservation" that reflected "a deep commitment to maintaining historical integrity".

"As a whole, the project stands as a model for harmonising heritage preservation with contemporary needs and showcases creative repair and conservation, adaptive reuse of historic structures, and comprehensive refurbishment and regeneration efforts," it added.

Other winning projects in the region included The Little Big House in Hertfordshire and WongAvery Gallery in Cambridge.

Gainsborough was born in 1727 and was the youngest of nine children.

According to Gainsborough House, he displayed an early talent for drawing and painting before he fell in love with landscapes.

This would become an "abiding feature of his artistic career", the museum said.

He achieved great success founding the Royal Academy of Arts, as well as becoming a favourite painter of King George III.

In 1958, Gainsborough's House Society was formed to purchase the building and create a centre for his work.

The museum opened in 1961 and has remained open ever since.

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