The New Student's Reference Work/Lawrence, Sir Thomas

Lawrence, Sir Thomas, portrait-painter and president of the Royal Academy, was born at Bristol, England, May 4, 1769. At ten he began sketching in crayons, and at eighteen entered the Royal Academy as a student in oils. In 1791 he was elected an associate, in 1798 a full member. He was appointed limner to the king in 1792, and was knighted in 1815. In 1820 he succeeded Benjamin West as president of the Royal Academy. Although his work hardly rose above the conventional level, he was the most popular portrait-painter of his time. He died at London, Jan. 7, 1830. See Gower's Romney and Lawrence in the Great Artists Series.