Sir Thomas Lawrence, P.R.A. was an esteemed English portraitist. Known for his deft paintings of British royalty, his works provide tremendous insight into European aristocracy during the Napoleonic Wars. Born on April 13, 1769 in Bristol, United Kingdom, Lawrence was something of an artistic prodigy. Though he had no formal training, by the age of 10, he was drawing and selling portraits of clientele at his family’s inn. In 1787, he moved to London.