Figures outside a Classical Building

This unfinished drawing of a group of figures is unusual, though not unique, for Augustus John, who tended to focus on single figures in his drawings and portraits. John trained at the Slade School and made his reputation by the early twentieth century as a draftsman and painter of exceptional artistic ability and personal originality. John was a sought-after society portrait painter whose work looked to the Old Masters for inspiration. He produced group portraits and allegorical scenes, which are particularly found in his mural work.