Local Readers Help To Identify 'The Dentist'

Man in portrait painted by the late William Bowyer is thought to be Claude Walker

It is believed that the mystery portrait sitter in the painting above by the late William Bowyer is a Chiswick dentist, Claude Walker.

Local readers responded to the call by his son, artist Jason Bowyer who asked for help to identify the mystery man in the painting entitled "The Dentist".

One resident recalled a man fitting his description as her landlord when she lived at 49 CHR in the 1970s. His name was Claude Walker and he was a retired dentist.

The work is to be presented to "The Peoples Portraits" at Girton College Cambridge on the 24th September by the Bowyer family.

The painting dates back to 1975 and was painted, not as a commission, but for practice by William Bowyer, when he lived nearby at Cleveland Avenue, Chiswick.

William Bowyer died in 2015 and his widow, Vera Bowyer, who still lives in Chiswick, is going to unveil the painting at Girton.

Jason Bowyer said; "Thank you so much to you and your readers and the subscriber who posted the information about Claude Walker on the forum. I am convinced the portrait is of Claude the dentist who worked and lived at 49 Chiswick High Road in the 70's. The portrait will be part of People's Portrait collection at Girton College, Cambridge which is open to the public."

The portrait (below) is entitled 'The Offering', and was painted by Jason Bowyer of Brentford football supporter Eamon Sylvester. This painting is also in the Girton Collection.

September 16, 2016