Thomas
Lawrence

Lawrence's father kept a small hotel, but in the end went bankrupt — and it turned out that the main source of funds for the family of Lawrence is a talent painter from their son. In 1782, the Lawrence settled in the resort town of bath, where the young artist made a good living pencil portraits.

In 1787 Lawrence went to London, where he was warmly received by Reynolds, and entered a student at the Royal Academy of arts — and in 1791 was elected its corresponding member, and in 1794, a full academician.

In 1818-1820. Lawrence was in Europe, drawing various nobles in Vienna, Rome, and Aachen (which at that time hosted an international conference). On his return to London he was elected President of the Academy of arts.

Sir Thomas Lawrence, the famous English portrait painter was born in 1769 in Bristol. Thomas was the youngest of 16 children, but most of his siblings died in infancy. The son of the unfortunate in the Affairs of the landlord, Lawrence early showed his talent for painting and soon began to use it.

Career masters has been developing rapidly. Being a seven year old miracle baby he already earned a living with his drawings and pastels at the age of twelve had his own Studio in bath, a fashionable resort, where gathered on the water to know. Not received systematic art education — Lawrence only a few months, attended classes at the Royal Academy of arts, he at twenty-three he became chief painter to the king, succeeding in the place of the Reynolds, and twenty-five, he was elected academician.

Already the first works of Lawrence, executed in oil, are striking excellence.

In 1789 he presented to the Royal Academy a portrait of lady Cremorne (1789, private collection), which brought him an order for a portrait of Queen Charlotte (1789, London, NAT. Gal.), shown in the Academy next year. However, in the works of this period manifested the limitations of his art. Continuing to create portraits of high quality, such as portraits of John Angerstein with his wife (1792, Paris, Louvre), Arthur Atherly (Los Angeles, Museum of art, County of Los Angeles), Lawrence tends to write in Reynolds (, 1797, Cor. Academy this painting is very close to the works of Fuseli). At the same time he creates a theatrical portraits, in which it is clear that the lack of traditional education hinders the depth of expression. These features, as well as financial difficulties caused by the lifestyle of Lawrence and beyond its material capabilities, is detrimental to the quality of his portraits and often, the painter is forced to fall into deliberate technical superficiality. After 1800 his style is, however, greater rigour. The rejection of historical painting allows him to concentrate on the compositional possibilities of the portrait (portraits of Francis Beringa, 1807, private collection; children of John Angerstein, 1808, Paris, Louvre).

Lawrence had outstanding ability as a draftsman, unusual among his fellow academics. He began his portraits with small drawing in the composition with chalk and then painted the head and main directions, as can be seen in two unfinished works in the National portrait gallery, the portraits of the Prince Regent and sympathetic portrayal of William Wilberforce in old age. One of the closest friends of Lawrence was the artist Joseph Farrington(Farington), who was a mentor and a consultant. In 1807 he acted as intermediary with the banker Thomas Coutts, dealing with huge debts of Lawrence, components 27 000£, quite a staggering amount. In 1820, immediately after the return of the artist from the mainland, Farington advised Lawrence not to attend at the Royal Academy, where he was elected President as a receiver Benjamin West (Benjamin West).

Another good friend was sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh's half-brother and adjutant-General of Wellington. His portrait as a dashing hussar in magnificent scarlet and gold uniform conveys the charm of a military hero and is probably the most beautiful portrait of Lawrence in the National Portrait gallery. It Stewart encouraged the Prince Regent to provide protection for the artist that contributed to the creation of Lawrence of formal portraits of statesmen of the allied States and England in the victory over Napoleon. To finish this series, Lawrence travelled on the continent between 1818 and 1820, when visiting AIX, Vienna and Rome. There he was, apparently, drew its largest portrait of Pope Pius VII, who, as noted by his contemporaries, competed successfully with the great painters of the past, including Raphael and Titian.