Gerald Kelly

Gerald Kelly studied at Eton College and Trinity Hall. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is painting and visual arts. Positions recorded include President of the Royal Academy of Arts. Work by Gerald Kelly is recorded in the collections of National Gallery of Victoria, Tate, National Gallery of Canada, The Frick Collection and National Portrait Gallery. Distinctions recorded are Knight Bachelor.

• Name — Sir Gerald Kelly • Honorific Suffix — KCVO • Birth Name — Gerald Festus Kelly • Born — 9 April 1879 • Birthplace — London, England • Died — 5 January 1972 • Place of death — Exmouth, East Devon, England • Known for — Painting • Relatives — Rose Edith Kelly (sister)

Gerald Kelly was born in London. His father was the Rev. Frederic Festus Kelly (1838–1918), formerly the vicar at St Giles', Camberwell where the young Kelly grew up. His grandfather, also named Frederic Festus Kelly, was the founder of Kelly's Directories Ltd. Kelly was educated at Eton College and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and later lived and studied art in Paris. James McNeill Whistler was an early influence. Kelly travelled much, visiting Spain, America, South Africa, and Burma, which inspired a series of paintings of Burmese dancers.

In 1920 he married Lilian Ryan, who became his model for a celebrated series of portraits. These were exhibited under the title Jane, followed by a Roman numeral that corresponded to the year of exhibition. Other sitters included T. S. Eliot, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Somerset Maugham, whom he painted 18 times. Maugham, a lifelong friend of Kelly, wrote an introduction to a catalogue (1950) of an exhibition of Kelly's work. Maugham regularly portrayed Kelly in his works, as Lionel Hillier in Cakes and Ale, as Frederick Lawson in Of Human Bondage and as O'Malley in His Excellency presenting him as "the young Irish painter called O'Malley", and dedicating Ashenden to him. He became a favourite painter of the Royal Family. During the Round Table Conferences in London, he encountered Shan princess Sao Ohn Nyunt. Struck by her grace and beauty, Kelly convinced her to pose for a series of portraits that would become some of his most celebrated works. Although he served as the court painter to the Royal Family during World War II, it was the 20 portraits of Sao Ohn Nyut that brought him unparalleled acclaim. These portraits, reproduced as posters, have sold over 50,000 copies and remain available to this day. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1930, was the Academy's Keeper from 1943–45, and served as its president from 1949–54. Kelly held a number of official positions, such as his membership of the Royal Fine Arts Commission, 1938–43, and was knighted in the 1945 King's Birthday Honours List. The artist John Napper (1916–2001) worked as his assistant. In 1950 he was elected to the National Academy of Design as an Honorary Corresponding Academician.

Gerald Kelly was recorded at birth as Gerald Festus Kelly. The authorities additionally record the headings Sir Kelly, Sir Gerald Festus Kelly, Gerald Festus Kelly (Sir) and Sir Gerald Kelly. His recorded language was English.

Gerald Kelly worked in painting and visual arts. Recorded position is President of the Royal Academy of Arts. He belonged to Royal Academy of Arts, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers and Royal Hibernian Academy.

Gerald Kelly is recorded as a citizen of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Recorded with the occupation visual artist.