William Dobson is not exactly a household name, but his story is an important one. At the age of 30, after Van Dyck’s death in 1641, he was admitted to the court of Charles I.  During the Civil War he was based in Oxford, where he produced a fine series of portraits, full of depth and insight, of prominent Royalists.
 

Dobson can be considered the first truly great English painter, his skill matching that of the leading European painters of the time. When Oxford fell in 1646, he returned to London where he tragically died in poverty at the age of 35.
 

In recent times his work has come into prominence. We examine this fascinating period and Charles I’s taste for collecting great art. Much of Dobson’s life is shrouded in mystery; we only know of 60 surviving paintings, yet they are enough to understand why he was so highly esteemed in his day, and why art historians now see him as a very significant artist. 
 

Martin will provide a list of helpful books and links to further explore on a PDF following each of the talks via the class information page.