Gerard de Rose

[Atarah]

Ever heard the name Gerard De Rose?

Gerard was an Accrington born lad, whose father was of Russian descent. He was born at "Carrara Cottage" in Oxford Street, the house still being there to this day. The house was named by his grandfather, Mr Tom Dean, a well known mason in his time, who made old-style marble fireplaces and ornaments. The name "carrara" is derived from Italian-style masonry work.

The old Grammar School which used to be along Blackburn Road once was known as the "Accrington School of Art and Crafts" and here he excelled in art. He won a State Scholarship in Art and attended the Royal College of Art in London. Whilst there WW2 broke out and he had to put his studies on hold. Later he resumed his studies at the Royal College and became a lecturer. His portrait painting became well known and he painted many famous people i.e. The then Duke of Bedford, Julie Christie, Charlie Drake, Ken Dodd, Mick Jagger and Morecambe and Wise (if you look closely, you can see M and W on the photo I have included).
His self portrait and a portrait of his wife are still in Haworth Art Gallery, although not always on public showing.
Thats Gerard on the front row, left hand side

[Acrylic-bob]

Also there is this:


Gerard de Rose 1918-1987

Portrait painter and teacher, born in Accrington, Lancashire, his father a surgeon and professor of music of Russian descent. Attended Accrington School of Art then won a Royal Exhibition in textile design to Royal College of Art. He studied there in 1939 and returned to the painting school, 1946-50: during WWII served in the Royal Engineers, taking part in the Dunkirk evacuation. From 1950-8 de Rose taught at various art colleges, including London College of Printing, then was head of the faculty of fine art at Maidstone College of Art, 1958-67.

He was elected RBA in 1961, also showing at Royal Academy, RP, Zayder Gallery, Bradford and Manchester Art Galleries, Paris Salon and other venues. Solo shows included Trafford, Alwin and William Ware Galleries, Haworth Art Gallery in Accrington which holds his work and widely in America. In the 1960’s de Rose developed a reputation as a painter of the famous, subjects including the Duke of Bedford, Julie Christie,Vita Sackville-West, Rod Steiger, Sammy Davis Junior, Claire Bloom and Vladimir Nabokov, this portrait appearing on the cover of Time magazine. The portraits are notable for their astute placing of the subject against a plain background. By his peers de rose was remembered as a flamboyant character. A small man with red hair and a stutter, he was a convivial member of the Chelsea Arts Club, a skilled amateur magician and in his youth a formidable boxer. He died in Hammersmith Hospital.

Buckman, David: Dictionary of Artists in Britain since 1945.