William Dobson (1611 - 1646)

• Was a portraitist and one of the first significant English painters.
• Dobson was born in London.
• He was apprenticed to William Peake and probably later joined the studio of Francis Cleyn.
• Dobson is believed to have had access to the Royal Collection and to have copied works by Titian and Anthony van Dyck.
• He is said to have become serjeant painter to the king and groom of the privy chamber.
• During the English Civil War Dobson was based at the Royalist centre of Oxford and painted many leading Cavaliers.
• His portrait of the future Charles II as Prince of Wales at the age of around twelve.
• He also painted at least the head of Duke of York, as well as portraits of leading Royalists such as Charles Lucas and John Byron, Prince Rupert of the Rhine and Prince Maurice. 

• Around sixty of Dobson's works survive, mostly half-length portraits dating from 1642 or later.

• He was married twice, first to Elizabeth, whose surname is unknown, as is the date of their marriage.

• On 18 December 1637 he married Judith Sander, who survived him.

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