Lawrence, Thomas

Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830) was one of the 16 children of a tavern-keeper, and began his career when a child as a self-taught pastel portraitist whose earnings helped keep the large family. He entered the Royal Academy School of Arts in 1787, beginning to paint in oils in conscious imitation of Reynolds, with whom he is often compared. In 1792 Lawrence was appointed Painter-in-Ordinary to King George III; he was knighted in 1815, and became President of the Academy in 1820, a post he held for the last decade of his life. Lawrence's subjects included European monarchs, a succession of beautiful women from aristocratic families, and military heroes of the Napoleonic wars. NZ Fine Prints stock a good quality reproduction of Lawrence’s famous portrait “Pinkie”.