Augustus John, O.M., R.A. (1878-1961)

Painted in 1913 The Estuary of Mawddach depicts model Lily Ireland overlooking the Mawddach estuary on the west Wales coast, where Augustus John stayed in a small corrugated iron cottage in the mountains of north Wales. Lily came from Chelsea and had never been out of London when John invited her to join him in Wales that summer. John is known to have painted at least six oils of her in the Welsh landscape, identifiable by her blond hair, including the striking painting The Orange Apron, which was shown at the exhibition Gwen John and Augustus John held at the Tate, London in 2004.

We are very grateful to Rebecca John for preparing this catalogue entry.