Painter is successful as parliamentary candidate? (12)
I believe the answer is:
gainsborough
'painter' is the definition.
(Gainsborough is an example)
'successful as parliamentary candidate?' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'successful' could be 'in' (similar in meaning) and 'in' is found in the answer.
'as' is found in the answer.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'is' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for gainsborough that I've seen before include "See 14" , "Thomas -, eighteen century English painter" , "Artist" , "Lincolnshire town -- 18th-century English painter" , "English portrait and landscape painter, d. 1788" .)