24/08/2026
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of art critic Anthony J. Lester on 19th August 2026.
For over forty years Anthony has given massive support to the Federation of British Artists at Mall Galleries. He curated several exhibitions on behalf of the FBA, including the much-acclaimed Pure Gold: 50 Years of the Federation of British Artists (2011). He was a long-time Member of the International Association of Art Critics and The Critics’ Circle and a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Life Member of Chelsea Arts Club.
He bought his first watercolour in 1956 at the age of 11 years old. Six years later he opened an Art Gallery in Oxfordshire. He later became an art consultant and concentrated on art research.
Anthony was very involved in the production of the RI book ‘Then and Now’, researching and writing the history of the Institute.
Anthony was introduced to Elizabeth Meek at the Mall Galleries in 2004. He was organising and selecting the works for Not the Turner Prize, a £20,000 award for painting, while Elizabeth was arranging the annual exhibition of the Society of Women Artists. Their relation blossomed and in 2008 they married. Elizabeth introduced him to colourful hats ranging from blue to red to pink to yellow, and zany, multi-coloured shirts. The couple certainly stood out from the crowd and were frequently spotted at the gallery’s Private Views.
Some text and image courtesy of Mall Galleries.
Image - Anthony J. Lester, Alistair Redgrift, Elizabeth Meek MBE, and Addi Aegisdottir.
More about Anthony Lester can be found on the Mall Galleries website -
https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/news/anthony-j-lester-1945-2026
