Augustus John had thirty-seven works in the 1913 Armory Show in New York, which introduced American audiences to progressive European art, although his style was indebted to the Old Masters. Between the wars, he became a leading society portraitist, though his reputation waned in his later years. In addition to commissioned portraits, he did many portraits of lovers and friends, including this one of his close friend Hugo Pitman.
Signed and dated at upper right, "John / 36"; inscribed at lower left, in pencil, "Pitman [?]". Inscribed on back of old frame at lower center, in pencil, "1485"; in white chalk, "Muhhll[?]S", crossed out, and directly below, "No 5/2 [the underscore beneath "No 5" and above "2"]"; at upper center, "Hughes", partly effaced.