His father encouraged him to entertain his fashionable guests by making portrait sketches, usually in profile. Lawrence was only about 14 or 15 when he drew these portraits, like the boys they depict. It is possible he met the brothers while at school in Bristol. The friendship between Lawrence and the Dottins must have continued into adulthood as there are several other later portraits of Abel Dottin and his wife and family. These are the first two works by Lawrence to enter the collection at Holburne Museum.

Provenance

Private collection; Sworder's fine art auctioneers, 2005; Ben Elwes Fine Art. These works have been vetted by the Art Loss Register in 2007.