Versatile painter, commonly of smallish, conservative views of the Chilterns. He was born in Swatow, China, son of a missionary minister. The Maclagans were an accomplished family, including missionaries, royal physicians, colonial administrators, academics and Sir Eric Maclagan, director of the Victoria & Albert Museum. Philip was educated at the City of London School (he later taught there part-time), where he won the drawing prize of the Worshipful Company of Painters. After barely a year at St John’s Wood School of Art, from 1920–5 he attended the Royal Academy Schools, teachers including Charles Sims, Ernest Jackson, George Clausen and Glyn Philpot, who remained a close friend, then studied under Bernard Meninsky at Westminster School of Art, also travelling widely in Italy.