Grave matters
July 19 2011
Picture: BG
I was passing St Anne's Church in Kew over the weekend, and so looked in to see if any progress has been made on restoring Gainsborough's grave. The answer is not much - and if you're minded to send the church a few quid, please do. They need to raise £5k.
To my surprise I found next door to Gainsborough (and Gainsborough Dupont) the grave of Jeremiah Meyer, the miniature painter. And round the corner was Johann Zoffany, for whom someone had even left a bunch of flowers.
I don't know why so many important artists are there. I know that Gainsborough wanted to be buried next to his friend, Joshua Kirby, a painter of sorts, who died before him. That Gainsborough, Meyer and Zoffany all painted Queen Charlotte, who lived at Kew, might be relevant.
