John Berry (illustrator)

[citation needed] Berry, having displayed an early artistic talent, entered the Hammersmith School of Art in 1934, where he studied under Alfred Egerton Cooper and William Dring.

With the aid of sketches, photographs and studio accessories he reconstructed, with a remarkable sense of monumental composition and fine colouring, scenes of oriental smokers, chess players, Moslems at prayer, cafes, dancers, interiors and palaces.

These included the "People at Work" series, featuring jobs such as policeman, fireman, postman, potter, nurse, coal miner, farmer and engine driver.

[citation needed] One day in 1951 the secretary at McCann Erickson advertising agency asked Berry if he could draw a tiger for the Esso oil company account.

Over the next ten years Mr. Berry was commissioned to do portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Lady Astor, Diana, Princess of Wales (twice), George Bush Sr., His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates and other prominent people including Native American Indians.

[citation needed]Mr. Berry provided a service for customers at Harrods department store, who would drop off photographs which he would then work up into oil paintings.