Robert Tollast

Infobox Artist
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name = Robert Tollast


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location = London
deathdate = February 2008
deathplace = England
nationality = British
field = Painter
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Robert Tollast (born in London, England) was a British painter. He studied Fine Arts as the Westminster School of Art. During the World War II he was commissioned in the Intelligence Corps and joined the diplomatic service as an Attaché de Presse in the British embassies of Baghdad and Cairo. He resigned in 1948 to become a full-time portrait painter, and in 1949 had his first one-man show in London and exhibited at the Royal Academy. A period of global travelling was followed by ten years painting in the United States (New York and Washington D.C.) His exhibition at the Washington gallery was opened by the then British Ambassador, the Earl of Cromer, formerly Governor of the Bank of England.

Since his return to England in 1976, Robert Tollast has divided his time between Switzerland, France (Paris) & Italy (Milan and Florence) & Austria (Vienna) with occasional visits to Germany.

During long visits to South Africa he painted three generations oh the Oppenheimer family, among other prominent figures in industry.

The list of Tollast's most interesting portrait commissions includes clients internationally prominent in the arts, sciences,industry and politics, of which one of the most notable is that of Sir Winston Churchill. This was the last official portrait, of which the sitter -- notoriously difficult over portraits of himself -- went on record to express his approval.

Robert Tollast's most recent important commission has been to paint, in oil, all the partners of the partners of the Geneva private bank Lombard Odier & Cie. He also works in water-colour and pastel and is a notably successful painter of children.