Born in Cambridgeshire in 1912, John Minton began his artistic education at the St John’s Wood School of Art between the years 1935 to 1938 and later studied for some time in Paris, France. During the Second World War, the artist served in the Pioneer Corps though he continued to pursue his artistic inclinations.

In 1942 Minton, along with his friend and peer Michael Ayrton, exhibited at the Leicester Galleries in London. Minton’s approach to realism in his painted and illustrated work was well received by the popular press. After being discharged from the Pioneer Corps in 1943 on medical grounds, the artist accepted a position to teach illustration at the Camberwell College of Arts where he remained until 1946. That same year Minton began teaching drawing and illustration at the Central School of Art and Design, continuing in the post until 1948, and later served as tutor of painting at the Royal College of Art from 1949 until 1956. During this time Minton continued to pursue his career as a painter in his own right and exhibited regularly at the Lefevre Gallery among others.

Minton is often best regarded as an illustrator for his contribution to an extensive number of cookery, travel and fiction books for a variety of leading publishers. However, the artist was also a highly accomplished painter who explored several approaches and media in his work. He experimented with textile and wallpaper design, and produced a number of posters for companies such as London Transport and Ealing Studios. The artist died in 1957. His work remains in the collection of the Tate among others.