Paul Rose was born in Durban, South Africa, in 1931, and lived for many years in Kloof, KwaZulu Natal, where his studio overlooked a nature reserve. Of British descent, he is related to both the late Dame Laura Knight and the actor James Mason.

Initially employed in commercial fields, Paul left the temperamental demands of advertising to pursue a closer relationship with the natural wonders of African bush. After years of disciplined dedication to his art, he has managed to work his way to the very pinnacle of contemporary wildlife realism. Self-taught, his natural ability has been influenced by years of study in Britain and on the continent, and his work reveals a sensitivity and subtlety not usually associated with African art.