Painter. He was a successful English portrait painter of the 1940s and 1950s, whose works are in many of national collections of Great Britain. Born Thomas Anthony Devas, he studied art at Slade School of Fine Art until 1930. He was associated with members of the Euston Road School, but unlike many of his colleagues, he never taught art. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1940, and was elected to the Royal Academy in 1950. Having poor health, he was unable to serve in the military during World War II, but served as an Air Raid Precautions warden in Chelsea. He held his first major solo exhibition at the Agnew's Gallery in 1941, while continuing to work as a portrait painter. By 1945, he was elected to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. A prolific painter, he began to received commissions to paint for society members and royalty, which led to being financially secured. He painted Elizabeth II in 1957. He excelled in painting children. Besides portraits, he painted landscape and still-life. His final public commission was of actress Dame Margaret "Peggy" Ashcroft for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and was first shown, posthumously, at the Royal Academy in 1959. A keen gardener, he placed first several times at the annual Chelsea "best window boxes" competition. He married in 1931 artist and author, Nicolette Macnamara, who he had met at Slade School of Fine Art, and as his widow, she later married artist Rupert Shephard. The couple had two sons, Prosper and Esmond and daughter, Emily, who married John Monson, 11th Baron Monson.
Painter. He was a successful English portrait painter of the 1940s and 1950s, whose works are in many of national collections of Great Britain. Born Thomas Anthony Devas, he studied art at Slade School of Fine Art until 1930. He was associated with members of the Euston Road School, but unlike many of his colleagues, he never taught art. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1940, and was elected to the Royal Academy in 1950. Having poor health, he was unable to serve in the military during World War II, but served as an Air Raid Precautions warden in Chelsea. He held his first major solo exhibition at the Agnew's Gallery in 1941, while continuing to work as a portrait painter. By 1945, he was elected to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. A prolific painter, he began to received commissions to paint for society members and royalty, which led to being financially secured. He painted Elizabeth II in 1957. He excelled in painting children. Besides portraits, he painted landscape and still-life. His final public commission was of actress Dame Margaret "Peggy" Ashcroft for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and was first shown, posthumously, at the Royal Academy in 1959. A keen gardener, he placed first several times at the annual Chelsea "best window boxes" competition. He married in 1931 artist and author, Nicolette Macnamara, who he had met at Slade School of Fine Art, and as his widow, she later married artist Rupert Shephard. The couple had two sons, Prosper and Esmond and daughter, Emily, who married John Monson, 11th Baron Monson.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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"He was a rare man"
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