[1] Gerard de Rose was born in Carrara Cottage, Oxford Street,[3] Accrington, Lancashire, in 1918, the son of a Russian emigree who was a professor of music and a surgeon.
He painted famous people including: the Duke of Bedford; Julie Christie;[1][3] Quentin Crisp;[4] Sammy Davis Jr.; Claire Bloom;[1] Charlie Drake; Ken Dodd; Mick Jagger; Eric Morecambe;[3] Vladimir Nabokov; Vita Sackville-West; Rod Steiger;[1] and Ernie Wise.
[3] de Rose's portrait of Vladimir Nabokov appeared on the cover of Time magazine.
[1] In 1961 de Rose was elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA).
[1] In 1957 the Rochdale Arts & Heritage Service purchased Wrestlers from de Rose.