Artist Database

Bernard Dunstan was a British artist, teacher, and author, best known for his studies of figures in interiors and landscapes. Born in 1920, He studied at Byam Shaw School of Art in 1939, then at the Slade School of Fine Art in London from 1939 to 1941. He had a long teaching career at various academies throughout England. He was elected as a full member of the Royal Academy in 1968.

He worked from direct observation, creating one-of-a-kind snapshots of various subjects. He used a full palette. He worked mostly on pieces of primed and toned board of his own making, the primer being rabbit skin size with chalk. His works are represented in the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Collection, Windsor, and the Museum of London. He has written a number of books on painting, including Painting Methods of the Impressionists (1976).