Pyramus Asleep

Pyramus was born in 1905 and was Dorelia's eldest son. He died in the early summer of 1912 after falling ill with meningitis. Perhaps twelve months after this drawing was made, John wrote to William Rothenstein from Equihen:'Pyramus grows more lyrically beautiful every day. He is like a little divine phrase from Shelley or Wordsworth.' (M.Easton & M.Holroyd, The Art of Augustus John, London, 1974, p.122) It was unusual for John to use brown ink. He frequently executed works in reed-pen and fountain pen but not in what looks to be 'Prout's Brown'.