Charles Bennett Lawes [also known as Charles Lawes-Wittewronge] was born in Teignmouth, Devon, England on 3 October 1843. After studying at Trinity College, Cambridge, he decided to pursue a career as a sculptor and and trained under the Irish-born artist John Henry Foley (1818-1874). He then furthered his studies in Berlin under Hugo Hagen (1818-1871). Following his return to England he set up a studio in Chelsea, London in 1872 and that year exhibited for the first time at the Royal Academy in London where he continued to exhibit until 1908. His work was subsequently shown at the Royal Society of British and Royal Institute of Oil Painters in London; and at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. He also participated in the Expostion Universelle in Paris in 1878 where he was awarded an honourable mention; the Franco-British Exhibition held in London in 1908; and (posthumously) at the International Fine Arts Exhibition in Rome in 1911.