Brian Dunlop was the son of English migrants who arrived in Australia during the Depression years. He enjoyed early success in his art career winning a scholarship to the National Art School, Sydney. His draughtsmanship was recognised in 1958 when at the age of 18 he won the Le Gay Brereton Prize for drawing, and four years later one of his drawings was purchased by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. He travelled in Italy, Greece, North Africa, Spain and England, became passionate about Renaissance art and also the light of Europe which is reflected in his light-filled interiors. Back in Australia, Dunlop taught at the East Sydney Technical College and then the Alexander Mackie College of Advanced Education. In 1980 he was artist-in-residence at the University of Melbourne, and also in 1980 he won the Sulman Prize for genre painting. As is often the case with artists who have a talent for portraiture, commissions allowed Dunlop to pursue his career as a full-time artist and to paint the things that really interested him, such as interiors with figures, and still-lifes.