Bernard Dunstan (19 January 1920 – 20 August 2017) was a British artist, teacher, and author, best known for his studies of

figures Figure may refer to: General *A shape, drawing, depiction, or geometric configuration *Figure (wood), wood appearance *Figure (music), distinguished from musical motif *Noise figure, in telecommunication *Dance figure, an elementary dance patter ...

in interiors and

landscapes A landscape is the visible features of an area of Terrestrial ecoregion, land, its landforms, and how they integrate with Nature, natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionar ...

. At the time of his death, he was the longest serving

Royal Academician The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

Life and work

Bernard Dunstan was born in

Teddington, Middlesex Teddington is a suburb in south-west London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. In 2021, Teddington was named as the best place to live in London by ''The Sunday Times''. Historically in Middlesex, Teddington is situated on a long m ...

, in 1920. He studied at

Byam Shaw School of Art The Byam Shaw School of Art, often known simply as Byam Shaw, was an independent art school in London, England, which specialised in fine art and offered foundation and degree level courses. It was founded in 1910 by John Liston Byam Shaw and ...

in 1939, then at the

Slade School of Fine Art The UCL Slade School of Fine Art (informally The Slade) is the art school of University College London (UCL) and is based in London, England. It has been ranked as the UK's top art and design educational institution. The school is organised as ...

in London from 1939 to 1941. In 1947 he was elected a member of the

New English Art Club The New English Art Club (NEAC) was founded in London in 1885 as an alternative venue to the Royal Academy. It continues to hold an annual exhibition of paintings and drawings at the Mall Galleries in London, exhibiting works by both members and a ...

, and was president of the

Royal West of England Academy The Royal West of England Academy (RWA) is Bristol's oldest art gallery, located in Clifton, Bristol, near the junction of Queens Road and Whiteladies Road. Situated in a Grade 2* listed building, it hosts five galleries and an exhibition program ...

from 1979 to 1984. In 1968 he was made a full member of the Royal Academy. Dunstan taught at the Royal West of England Academy in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

from 1946 to 1949, the

Camberwell School of Art Camberwell College of Arts is a public tertiary art school in Camberwell, in London, England. It is one of the six constituent colleges of the University of the Arts London. It offers further and higher education programmes, including postgradu ...

from 1950 to 1964, the Byam Shaw School from 1953 to 1974, the Ravensbourne Art College (now the

Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication Ravensbourne may refer to: * Ravensbourne, Queensland, in Australia * Ravensbourne National Park, in Australia * Ravensbourne, London, in the London Borough of Bromley ** Ravensbourne railway station, serving the above area ** Ravensbourne (UK Parl ...

) from 1959 to 1964, and

City and Guilds of London Art School Founded in 1854 as the Lambeth School of Art, the City and Guilds of London Art School is a small specialist art college located in central London, England. Originally founded as a government art school, it is now an independent, not-for-profit ...

from 1964 to 1969. Artists whose influence inform his painting include

Renoir Pierre-Auguste Renoir (; 25 February 1841 – 3 December 1919) was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style. As a celebrator of beauty and especially feminine sensuality, it has been said that "Re ...

Bonnard Bonnard is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Abel Bonnard (1883–1968), French poet, novelist and politician * (18881959), Swiss scholar and translator of classical Greek * Jean-Louis Bonnard (1824&ndas ...

, Vuillard,

Walter Sickert Walter Richard Sickert (31 May 1860 – 22 January 1942) was a German-born British painter and printmaker who was a member of the Camden Town Group of Post-Impressionist artists in early 20th-century London. He was an important influence on d ...

, and

Philip Wilson Steer Philip Wilson Steer (28 December 1860 – 18 March 1942) was a British painter of landscapes, seascapes plus portraits and figure studies. He was also an influential art teacher. His sea and landscape paintings made him a leading figure in ...

. His works are represented in the National Portrait Gallery, the

Royal Collection The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King Charles III and overseen by the ...

, Windsor, and the

Museum of London The Museum of London is a museum in London, covering the history of the UK's capital city from prehistoric to modern times. It was formed in 1976 by amalgamating collections previously held by the City Corporation at the Guildhall, London, Gui ...

. He has written a number of books on painting, including ''Painting Methods of the Impressionists'' (1976).

Personal life

Dunstan was married to fellow painter and Royal Academician Diana Armfield, who survived him. He is the father of the physicist Professor David Dunstan. He died on 20 August 2017, aged 97.

References

External links

Biography and images, University of the West of England

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dunstan, Bernard 1920 births 2017 deaths 20th-century English painters English male painters 21st-century English painters Alumni of the Byam Shaw School of Art Alumni of the Slade School of Fine Art Members of the Royal West of England Academy Modern artists People from Teddington Royal Academicians 20th-century English male artists 21st-century English male artists