Ernest Borough Johnson was born in Shropshire on 9 December 1866 and studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London and at Herkomer’s at Bushey in Hertfordshire, subsequently becoming Professor of Fine Art at Bedford College and Chelsea Polytechnic. He was a teacher of life painting and drawing at the London School of Art and at Byam Shaw School, and published on drawing techniques. He lent work from his own collection to Ben Uri’s first group exhibition featuring Jewish artists in 1934. He died in London, England on 30 July 1949. His work is in UK collections including Bushey Museum, Hertfordshire and the National Portrait Gallery.