Paul Emsley
Paul Emsley (born 25 August 1947) is a British artist who worked in South Africa until 1996 and is now resident in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England. He is a former lecturer at the Stellenbosch University and the 2007 winner of the BP Portrait Award for portrait painting. His work can be found in most public collections in South Africa, The National Portrait Gallery London and The British Museum.
Paul Emsley
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- Name
- Paul Emsley
- Born
- 25 August 1947
- Birthplace
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Field
- Drawing and painting
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Occupation
- painter · architectural drafter · designer · graphic artist
- Fields
- portrait · still life · abstract art
- Known for
- Portrait of Catherine and Duchess of Cambridge
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Paul Emsley (born 25 August 1947) is a British artist who worked in South Africa until 1996 and is now resident in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England. He is a former lecturer at the Stellenbosch University and the 2007 winner of the BP Portrait Award for portrait painting. His work can be found in most public collections in South Africa, The National Portrait Gallery London and The British Museum.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q2947141 · wikipedia · Paul Emsley
In this article
Biography
Biography
He is known for his large detailed images of people, animals and flowers. There was a major retrospective of his work in 2012 at the Sasol Art Gallery in Stellenbosch. He is represented in the UK by the Redfern Gallery and in South Africa by Everard Read. Emsley's portrait of the Princess of Wales is on permanent display at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Other notable portraits include Nelson Mandela, Sir V. Naipaul, Michael Simpson and William Kentridge.
The recorded working language is English. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are portrait, still life and abstract art. Places of work recorded in the authority are Cape Town, Stellenbosch and United Kingdom. Works named in the authority record are Portrait of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Work by Paul Emsley is recorded in the collections of National Portrait Gallery.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Paul Emsley • Born — 25 August 1947 • Birthplace — Glasgow, Scotland • Field — Drawing and painting
Biography
Biography
Paul Emsley was born in Glasgow on 25 August 1947. Having grown up in South Africa, he moved to the UK in 1996, and currently resides in Bradford-upon-Avon, although retaining an ongoing presence in South Africa. In 2012 he was commissioned to paint the official Portrait of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, which he completed in three and a half months.
Identity
Identity
Paul Emsley is recorded with the occupation architectural drafter. Recorded with the occupation graphic artist. Classed in the genre abstract art. Classed in the genre still life. Classed in the genre portrait. Recorded as painter, architectural drafter, designer and graphic artist.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1947
Paul Emsley was born on 25 August 1947.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2947141: Paul Emsley
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Paul Emsley”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Awards
• UWE. Drawing Prize. RWA Autumn Exhibition. 2008 • BP Portrait Award. First Prize. 2007 • Silver Award for Works on Paper. British Interior Design Association. Art London 2005 • UWE Drawing Prize. RWA Autumn Exhibition 2004 • 3rd Prize; Singer & Friedlander Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2003 • 1st Prize; Singer & Friedlander Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2002 • 3rd Prize; Singer & Friedlander Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2001 • Commended; RWA 1st Painting Open 2001 • Bovis-Architects Journal Special Award; Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2000 • Merit Award; Standard Bank National Drawing Competition 1987
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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