Robert Tollast

Robert Tollast (né Robert Malcolm Priestly Tollast; 1915–2008), was a British painter. He was a court painter for the House of Habsburg.

Biography Robert Malcolm Priestly Tollast was born on 15 September 1915 in Wandsworth, London. He studied Fine Arts at the Westminster School of Art.

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.

Tollast's recent commission was to paint, in oil, all the partners of the partners of the Geneva private bank Lombard Odier & Cie. He also works in watercolour and pastel and is a notably successful painter of children.

At the time of his death, Tollast was royal court painter to the Habsburg family of Austria. His work is included in museum collection at the National Portrait Gallery in London.