James Lawson studied Drawing and Painting, and History of Art as an undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh College of Art (in those days, an independent institution). Going on to postgraduate research, he shared his time between Edinburgh and Italy. His Ph.D. thesis dealt with the architectural patronage of Lodovico Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua (1444-78). As a university and college teacher, he had part-time and temporary contracts at several educational institutions over a number of years. His subjects were History of Art, History of Architecture and History of Photography. Since 1995, he has taught very largely in the area of History of Architecture in Edinburgh College of Art of the University of Edinburgh.