Lionel Aggett was born in Whiddon, on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. He was educated at Exeter School before training as an architect with the firm J. Francis Smith & Partners, later completing his studies at Kingston School of Art & Architecture, where he was awarded two scholarships from the Royal Institute of British Architects. Elected a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1967, he enjoyed a successful architectural career, receiving six professional awards. Alongside his work in architecture, Aggett maintained a lifelong passion for painting, exhibiting widely in oils, pastels and watercolours. His first solo exhibition was held at the Truro Galleries, followed by group exhibitions with the Pastel Society and the Royal Watercolour Society in London. In 1991, he chose to devote himself fully to painting.

Devon, France and, above all, Italy remained central to Aggett’s artistic inspiration throughout his career. His enduring connection with Italy began in 1959, when he travelled to Umbria and Tuscany as a young architectural scholar. After turning to painting full time, he made frequent working visits to northern Italy and Venice, often in preparation for exhibitions. He was drawn to tranquil rural settings, favouring villages and landscapes untouched by modern development. In later years, he also painted extensively in the French countryside, capturing the vivid seasonal colour of spring and early summer. Working primarily in soft pastel, Aggett developed a fluid, spontaneous technique that allowed him to convey light, atmosphere and the subtle tonal qualities of the landscape with immediacy and sensitivity.