David Jagger

David Jagger
Portrait of James Henry Dowd (1929)
Born	1891 Kilnhurst, Rotherham, Yorkshire
Died	1958
Nationality	British
Education	Sheffield School of Art
Known for	Portrait painting
Notable work	Robert Baden-Powell, Winston Churchill
Movement	Royal Society of Portrait Painters (RP), Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI)
Patron(s)	The Scout Association

David Jagger, RP, ROI (born 1891, Kilnhurst, near Rotherham, Yorkshire – died 1958 London) was an acclaimed English portrait painter.

He was a prolific portrait painter, renowned for his commissioned portraits of London's high society and British aristocracy, notable portraits include Robert Baden-Powell (1929), Queen Mary (1930 and 1932), King George VI (1937), Winston Churchill (1939), Vivien Leigh (1941) and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1958).

David Jagger was born in Kilnhurst, near Rotherham, in 1891. He was the son of colliery manager Enoch Jagger and his wife Mary Sargeant. He had two older siblings, a sister Edith (1881–1977) and brother Charles (1885–1934). Edith became a painter of still lives, and co-founded the charitable organisation, Painted Fabrics Ltd in 1917 and Charles became a celebrated sculptor.

David Jagger studied at the Sheffield School of Art, briefly studying at the same time with both his elder sister and brother. An accomplished draughtsman and skilled illustrator he became a medal-winning student in mural design and painting. After his art education finished, he moved to London. Initially he obtained employment in a commercial art studio and produced portraits in the evening. He became a leading exhibitor with several societies including the Royal Institute of Oil Painters (R.O.I.) and Royal Society of Portrait Painters (R.P.). He regularly exhibited at the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy and the Royal Society of British Artists (R.B.A.). His paintings brought him both critical and commercial success, which enabled him to set up his own professional portrait studio in Chelsea, south-west London. After the Great War finished, he met and fell in love with Katherine Gardiner, she immediately became his muse and features in many key work from the period. The couple married in 1921.