OLD AZURIANS

Ramsay was descended from a Scottish family that included the 18th and 19th century artists Allan and James Ramsay. He was born in London on 15 March 1925 to parents James Ramsay, a Rolls Royce engineer, and Elizabeth nee Henry. Although christened Francis Dennis he assumed his second name in later life. After his parents divorced Ramsay moved to Ferring together with his mother and sister.

 

He was educated at Worthing High School for Boys, and then from 1940 at Worthing School of Art where he studied architecture and became a skilled model maker. During the second World War he acted as an ARP messenger before serving in the RAF towards the end of the war. He then went on to study architecture at University College London between 1947 and 1950.

 

The first exhibition of Ramsay’s models was held at Arundel Castle and included a model of the State Coach to be used in the forthcoming coronation. This model was of such excellence that, exceptionally, it was accepted by the Queen as a gift.

 

Between 1953 and 1957 Ramsay studied in Florence under Annigoni, perhaps the world’s most renowned portrait painter of the 20th century. Annigoni introduced Ramsay to the oil tempura technique dating from the 16th century which requires the artist to mix his own colours from pigment powder, oil, varnish, egg yolk, and a preservative. Ramsay discovered that Scotch whisky made an excellent preservative. The colours produced in this way have outstanding vitality and permanence.