Oil on canvas, 1952

Purchased in 1952

A1 556

 

A recent enquiry on the subject of this painting resulted in the gallery making contact with Donald Rooum, who is now in his 80th year and hadn’t seen the portrait since it was painted in 1952. Donald told us that he was a student at Bradford College of Art, when Frank Lisle, the artist, was Head of Art and did his portrait. He added that a 16 year old David Hockney was in the same class! Donald explained that Frank Lisle had thought about calling the portrait ‘The Anarchist’ because of Donald’s political beliefs but of course if he had, we would never have heard the name Donald Rooum and been able to reunite him with his portrait all these years later.