Sir Lawrence Gowing (1918-1991), Painter and art historian

Sitter in 4 portraits
Artist of 3 portraits
Artist and art historian; son of a London draper. In 1936 Gowing became the pupil of the painter William Coldstream, founder of the influential Euston Road School, and in the same year, sold a self-portrait to Kenneth Clark, then director of the National Gallery. In 1952 he established his reputation as an art historian with his book on the Dutch artist Vermeer. Gowing became the keeper of British Collections and Deputy Director of the Tate Gallery in 1965, where he organised several major exhibitions, whilst continuing to paint. He made the television series Three Painters in the 1980s.