Cowan Dobson

David Cowan Dobson (1894–1980), referred to as 'Cowan' Dobson ARBA (1919), RBA (1922), was a leading Scottish portrait artist.

Family

David Cowan Dobson was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, the second son of the Scottish portrait painter Henry John Dobson (1858–1928), from Dalry who had painted in 1893 Labour leader James Keir Hardie (1856–1915), and Jeannie Charlotte Hannah Cowan. David's middle name which he used professionally derives from his mother’s maiden name. His grandfather, Thomas Dobson, was a wool merchant in the village of Kirkcudbright. It is said in the family that there was a Dobson wool mill in Dalry, owned and run by Thomas. Henry John did not maintain the family tradition of running the family wool business, and instead became an artist. It would appear he paid a price for his choice. Family legend has it that Thomas Dobson disowned his son. Henry John’s whole life would be marked by financial difficulties.

The oldest child of the Dobson family was Thomas Stanley Dobson, born in 1892 and named after his grandfather. He was known as Stanley Dobson, and became an actor. But to make ends meet, Stanley also worked for art dealer Robertson in London.