Provenance

Edwin John was born in Paris on 27th November 1905, the fourth son of Augustus John and Ida Nettleship. He grew to be a tall and robust figure and later became a middleweight boxer, much to the delight of his father, but much to the disapproval of his Aunt Gwen, who nurtured his talents as a watercolour artist. On her death, Edwin inherited her estate and produced a series of exhibitions, which helped to secure her posthumous reputation as an artist. This painting shows Edwin about ten years old. The National Museum of Wales in Cardiff own two portraits of Edwin by his father, depicted as a child about 1911 and as a young man about 22 and painted circa 1927.