Oil on Board, 34x23cm.
Ernest Borough Johnson 1867-1949
Inscribed verso March 1916.
Born in Shifnal in Shropshire, Johnson was a painter in oils, watercolours, tempera and pastel of portraits, figure subjects and landscapes. He was also an important lithographer, etcher and charcoal draughtsman.
Johnson studied at the Slade School under Alphonse Legros and at the Herkomer School, Bushey.
He exhibited very widely at the principal London galleries from 1886 and extensively abroad.
Elected an RBA in 1896, RI in 1906 – he received an Honourable Mention at the Paris Salon in 1922, and a silver medal in 1923. Amongst his published books were ‘The Art of the Pencil’ which is a wonderful record of his fine draughtsmanship.
He was Professor of Fine Arts, Bedford College, London University, and for fifteen years Headmaster of the Art Department of Chelsea Polytechic.
Amongst his highly successful work as an illustrator was Thomas Hardy’s ‘Tess of the D’Urbevilles’. His work is represented in public collections worldwide.
