Charles Saglana was born in Kent, England to parents who were art teachers, eagerly supporting their son’s proclivity towards aret. His first art teacher was his father, Ian Saglana, who was a painting restorer in a small, local art museum. He also had his own restoration business catering to the mansion residents of the upper class. Specializing in 18th century restorations of English figure painters like Thomas Gainsborough, Henry Rayburn, Benjamin West and others, Ian was able to impart many valuable lessons to his young son.
Charles Saglana’s classical education took place at the famous Slade School of Art, winning a nationwide scholarship, having shown excellence in High School. He placed first of some 3500 entries. Influenced by his father’s restoration work, Saglana enjoyed continuing to learn about the 19th century art styles, materials and finishes and determined that this would be the area where he would focus his career intentions. He would spend the first third of his life, happily viewing restoration as the most important channel for his talent.
As Saglana’s painting style evolved, his own paintings on canvas became a reflection of the influence of the life style of his restoration clients. They depicted a world of elegance, savoir-faire and the attention to detail that was the mark of the great English Noble families.
Saglana’s work is part of many private collections and public organizations as an unusual artist with the unique and uncanny ability to paint in this lost style reflecting the mood and world of an earlier era.