Augustus John

1 portrait of Augustus John

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Augustus John

by Curling
bromide press print, 1924
8 in. x 5 5/8 in. (202 mm x 143 mm) image size
Given by Terence Pepper, 2011
Photographs Collection
NPG x135063

Sitterback to top

  • Augustus Edwin John (1878-1961), Painter. Sitter in 106 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 33 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Curling, Photographer. Artist or producer of 2 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This photograph was published in the 19 March 1924 edition of Tatler. It appeared with the text: 'The famous painter, of whom it is said that this is one of the few photographs extant, for the reason that, whilst Mr Augustus John's profession is to make portraits of other people, he has the strongest aversion from submitting to the same process himself.' In reality John was far from shy. His international reputation grew considerably during the 1920s with a number of visits to America. In 1924 his portrait of the Portuguese cellist Guilhermina Suggia (Tate collection) won first prize at the Pittsburgh International Exhibition.

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Portrait setback to top

Events of 1924back to top

Current affairs

After narrowly winning the general election the previous year, Stanley Baldwin calls a vote of confidence at the opening of the new session of Parliament and is defeated. George V invited James Ramsay Macdonald to form a minority Labour government, making him the first Labour Prime Minister.

Art and science

Eric Liddell wins the gold medal at the Olympic games, breaking the record for running the 400 metres in 47.6 seconds. The distance was not in fact his strongest event, but he refused to run the 100 metres because the heats were held on the Sabbath. His story is told in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire.

International

After three strokes and several years of illness Lenin dies. Three days later the city of Petrograd is renamed Leningrad in his honour. On coming to power Stalin began the policy of 'socialism in one country' abandoning the traditional hope for international proletarian revolution in order to strengthen Russia internally and independently.

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