Cecil Gordon Lawson was born in Shropshire of Scottish parents, his father was the portrait painter William Lawson. He came to London in 1861 and his early work, principally detailed flower and still-life compositions, reflects the influence of William ‘Bird’s Nest’ Hunt, a prominent figure in the art world at the time. Lawson later developed a broader style, as in ‘The Minister’s Garden’ exhibited in 1878 at the opening of the Grosvenor Gallery.
