BIOGRAPHY

William Thomson R.B.A., A.R.C.A (1926-1988)

Painter in oil, water-colour and acrylic, etcher, Lithographer and teacher. Thomson was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1926. He attended McMaster University and Ontario College of Art, Toronto, 1945-1947, where he was influenced by John Alfsen and in 1947 received a gold medal. Influenced by Francis Bacon and his tutor John Alfsen.

He left on a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy Schools, London in 1948-1952 where an early influence was Francis Bacon. In 1957 Thomson studied under Oskar Kokoshka who called him the best painter of his generation. Thomson travelled on the continent and from 1949 he held various teaching posts; from 1973-1984 at Central School of Art and Design he kept life classes going when they were unfashionable. He showed at the Royal Academy from 1958 to 1966 and elsewhere in group exhibitions and had numerous solo shows in Britain and abroad. He completed a number of BBC television programmes on art. At the end his painting Gods were Rembrandt, Degas and Cezanne. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and several galleries in Canada, including the Hamilton Art Gallery, hold his work. He died in 1988.