Lawrence Toynbee was a British painter. Born in London in 1922, Toynbee studied to be an artist at the Ruskin School of Drawing in Oxford under the instruction of several notable artists of the time. After leaving the School, Toynbee very quickly became master of art at St Edward’s School for Boys, Oxford whilst continuing to visit the Ruskin School as an occasional teacher. He continued to teach throughout his career, working at the Bradford College of Art for some time and directing the art department at Morley College in London. Particularly well regarded for his ability to convey movement onto a still canvas Toynbee’s paintings of railways, stations and London Underground Tube lines proved to be very popular in the late 1940s. His paintings of sporting events were equally revered, with subjects such as Lord’s cricket and Stamford Bridge football ground favoured among other representations of sporting contests ranging from rugby to rowing. Stillness, however, was also captured by the artist in the rich Yorkshire landscape scenes produced later in life.

Toynbee participated in several exhibitions, including solo shows at the Fine Art Society, throughout London in his career. The artist died in North Yorkshire in 2002. His work is represented in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.