A Life of Portraiture and Service
Simon Edmund Vincent Paul Elwes was a British war artist and society portrait painter whose work captured many prominent figures, including kings, queens, presidents, and statesmen. Born in 1902 at Hothorpe Hall in Northamptonshire, he was the son of the tenor Gervase Cary Elwes and Lady Winifride Mary Elizabeth Feilding. His artistic education included the Slade School of Fine Art and later studies in Paris at the Académie Delécluse, the Academie des Beaux Arts, and Andre Lhote's Academy in Montparnasse.
During the Second World War, Elwes served as a lieutenant colonel in the 10th Royal Hussars after initially joining the Welsh Guards. Stationed in North Africa and Egypt, he became an official war artist for the local army command. His wartime subjects included King Farouk of Egypt, Queen Farida, and various military leaders such as Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck and Viceroy Archibald Wavell.
Artistic Achievements and Later Years
Elwes established himself as a sought-after portraitist with works hanging at the Royal Academy of Arts. His notable sitters included Robert Baden-Powell, the Duke of York, and members of the British royal family such as Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. In 1947, he visited Hollywood to paint stars like Gloria Swanson. Despite suffering a near-fatal stroke in 1945 that paralyzed the right side of his body, he taught himself to paint with his left hand.
Throughout his career, Elwes held several prestigious positions:
- Member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Associate of the Royal Academy
- Full member of the Royal Academy
- President of the Guild of Catholic Artists
He died in 1975 in Amberley, West Sussex.
