Anthony Eyton is acknowledged as one of Britain’s leading figurative painters. He studied fine art at Reading University before serving in the Army from 1942-47. He went on to study at Camberwell School of Art from 1947-1950, receiving an Abbey Major scholarship in 1951 which took him to Italy. Eyton taught at the Royal Academy schools from 1964-1999 and was elected a Royal Academician in 1986. He has travelled extensively, particularly in India, Israel and Sudan. His works are held in major public collections, including the Arts Council of Great Britain and the Tate and he has exhibited widely. Anthony Eyton lives and works in Brixton.

Eyton studied with Dick Lee at Camberwell from 1947-50 and both received an Abbey Major scholarship in 1951, travelling to Rome together. The drawing is of an Italian scene, though the date is unknown. It was given to Lee by Eyton on Lee’s retirement from teaching at Camberwell in 1982, and is inscribed ‘Tony Eyton to Dick Lee with love 1982’. It is possible that the drawing dates from their journey together to Rome in the 1950s.