Signed, dated and inscribed beneath the image
Greaves's most celebrated paintings of the 1950s and their idiom owe much to his years of studying painting at the Royal College from 1948-52. Greaves was taught by Ruskin Spear and, to a lesser extent, by Carel Weight and John Minton, who would draw and paint alongside his students in the life room. Carel Weight was well respected as a serious, exhibiting painter and was helpful in practical ways, offering Greaves free stretchers he did not need. Soon Greaves adopted a way of painting, promoted by the college, 'that showed you were serious': 'one could pick up a range of mannerisms from one's tutors' including John Minton's 'way with Modernism', Rodrigo Moynihan's 'suave portraiture' and Ruskin Spear's 'post-Sickertian dabbing and splodging'. But of all his teachers it was Minton who was of most interest. Greaves respected him principally as a draughtsman, a marvellous, fecund and fluent illustrator, and as a convivial and witty performer, but as a teacher Minton was almost monosyllabic. This was characteristic. Above all, teaching was by example and advice was not necessarily sought, expected or given.