Original Oil Portrait — “Jamaican Girl” — After Augustus John
A striking original oil painting on wooden panel, depicting a young Jamaican woman against a vivid blue background.
The painting is signed “John” in the upper right, but is offered here as an unsigned/unknown artist’s copy or interpretation after Augustus John, rather than as a work by Augustus John himself.
The composition is closely based on Augustus John’s well-known portrait of a Jamaican girl, and the anonymous artist has clearly attempted to capture John’s distinctive simplified forms, strong colour contrasts and expressive handling. The result is an interesting piece in its own right, particularly for collectors of British modernist art and paintings connected with Augustus John’s work.
The sitter’s warm terracotta complexion contrasts dramatically with the brilliant blue background, while her white blouse with its scattered yellow and blue pattern gives the painting considerable visual appeal.
Details
* Medium: Oil on wooden panel * Painting size: 18 x 14 inches (approx. 45.7 x 35.6 cm) * Framed size: 22 x 18 inches (approx. 55.9 x 45.7 cm) * Orientation: Portrait * Signature: “John”, upper right * Attribution: Unknown artist, apparently after Augustus John * Frame: Attractive substantial black and gilt-effect decorative frame
Condition
Good vintage condition overall, with age-related signs and surface characteristics consistent with an older original painting. Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.
A note on attribution
Although the painting bears the name “John”, I am not offering it as an original work by Augustus John. The composition appears to be a copy or independent interpretation of Augustus John’s Jamaican Girl, and the signature should therefore be regarded with appropriate caution.
This makes for an unusual and decorative example of the way celebrated modernist paintings were copied and reinterpreted by other artists.
A particularly colourful and characterful portrait, ready to hang and make an immediate statement in an interior.
