Prust was a prolific artist around the time of the Second World War, specialising in scenes of London. He was a student at the Chelmsford School of Science and Art. He also produced a few poster designs. Also exhibited at the Royal Academy summer shows.

His subject here, the Mappin Terraces of London Zoo, were opened in 1913. It originally housed bears, penguins, sheep, goats and wild boar, some of which are depicted in this work. The enclosure is now used for the Australasian species.