John Augustus Atkinson was an English painter, engraver, and watercolourist whose career bridged British and Russian artistic traditions. Atkinson was born in London around 1775 and, at the age of nine, traveled to St. Petersburg in 1784 with his uncle James Walker, who served as court engraver to Empress Catherine the Great.

Encouraged by Catherine and her son, Paul I, Atkinson studied in the imperial galleries and was commissioned to paint large historical scenes. His time in Russia deeply influenced his artistic development and led to the creation of A Picturesque Representation of the Manners, Customs, and Amusements of the Russians, published in 1803–1804. This ambitious work featured 100 plates drawn and etched by Atkinson himself, offering vivid depictions of Russian life and culture.

Atkinson returned to England in 1801 and continued to exhibit at the Royal Academy and the Society of Painters in Water Colours, where he became a member in 1808. His subjects ranged from naval battles and military scenes to rustic genre compositions and costume studies.

Notable works include

Retreat of the French Grand Army from Moscow (1812)

Battle of Waterloo, the latter engraved by John Burnet.

John Augustus Atkinson’s final contribution to the Royal Academy was in 1829. He died in London in 1830, leaving behind a body of work that captured both the grandeur of historical events and the intimacy of everyday life.