17 Works, Today, March 20th. is artist Edward John Poynter's day, his story, illustrated with footnotes #078

Edward Poynter  (1836–1919)

Israel in Egypt, c. 1867

Oil on canvas

Height: 137.2 cm (54 in); Width: 317.5 cm (10.4 ft)

Guildhall Art Gallery

Poynter's Israel in Egypt depicts dozens of Israelites pulling a sculpture of a lion, fashioned from red granite, across the foreground while an Egyptian overseer lashes his whip across their backs. The painting is a graphic depiction of Exodus I:7-11.

In Israel in Egypt, Poynter experiments with the male body under different types of physical strain — pushing, pulling, etc., and in his next major work, The Catapult (See below), completed just one year later in 1868, he refines his ability to capture the male form at the peak of physical exertion. More on this painting

Sir Edward John Poynter, 1st Baronet GCVO, PRA (20 March 1836 – 26 July 1919) was an English painter, designer, and draughtsman, who served as President of the Royal Academy.

Edward Poynter  (1836–1919)

The Catapult, c. 1868–1872

Oil on canvas

Height: 155.5 cm (61.2 in); Width: 183.8 cm (72.3 in)

Laing Art Gallery

The Catapult shows Roman soldiers manning a siege engine for an attack on the walls of Carthage, during the siege which ended in the destruction of Carthage in 146 BC. The famous command of Cato the Elder, "Delenda est Carthago" is carved in the wood of the huge catapult. More on this painting

Poynter was born in Paris, France, though his parents returned to Britain soon after his birth. He was educated at Brighton College and Ipswich School, but left school early for reasons of ill health, spending winters in Madeira and Rome. In 1853, he met Frederick Leighton in Rome, who made a great impression on the 17-year-old Poynter. On his return to London he studied at Leigh's Academy in Newman Street and the Royal Academy Schools, before going to Paris to study in the studio of the classicist painter Charles Gleyre where James McNeill Whistler and George du Maurier were fellow-students.

Edward Poynter  (1836–1919)

The Siren, circa 1864

Oil on canvas

Private collection

According to Greek myths, sirens were powerful and erotic creatures, and many unsuspecting sailors would fall prey to their seductive beauty. The common belief was that they would devour sailors after their ships would crash into the rocks, as most men couldn't resist the temptation of their sweet melodies and angelic faces. More on The Siren

Edward Poynter  (1836-1919)

Cave of the Storm Nymphs, c. 1903

Oil on canvas

Height: 145.9 cm; Width: 110.4 cm

Private collection

"Careless of wreck or ruin, still they sing

Their light songs to the listening ocean caves,

And wreathe their dainty limbs, and idly fling

The costly tribute of the cruel waves.

Faire as their mother-foam, and all as cold,

Untouched alike by pity, love or hate;

Without a thought for scattered pearl or gold,

And neither laugh nor tear for human fate." Unknown!

The Cave of the Storm Nymphs depicts three nude sirens or nymphs from Greek mythology that lure sailors to their deaths. Poynter painted two versions, one in 1902 and the other in 1903, with minor differences. The former is housed in the Norfolk, Virginia Hermitage Museum, and the latter is in the private collection of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. One of the depicted sirens is playing a golden stringed, tortoise-shell lyre, while the other two sirens rejoice amid the foundering ship, expecting to add to the cave’s treasure. More on this painting

Edward Poynter  (1836–1919)

Horae Serenae, c. 1894

Oil on canvas

H 92 x W 234.5 cm

Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery

Edward Poynter  (1836–1919)

Detail; Horae Serenae, c. 1894

Oil on canvas

H 92 x W 234.5 cm

Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery

In Greek mythology the Horae were the goddesses of the seasons and the natural portions of time. They were regarded as goddesses of order in general and natural justice.

The number of Horae varied according to different sources, but was most commonly three: either the trio of Thallo, Auxo and Carpo (goddesses of the order of nature) or Eunomia (goddess of good order and lawful conduct) and her sisters Dike (goddess of Justice) and Eirene (goddess of Peace). More on the Horae

In 1866 Poynter married the famous beauty Agnes MacDonald, daughter of the Rev. G. B. MacDonald of Wolverhampton, and they had three children. 

Edward John Poynter (1836–1919)

Saint George for England, c. 1870

Mosaic 

Parliamentary Art Collection

The saint is flanked in this picture, by the figures of Fortitude, clad in a lion's skin, and Purity bearing a lily and the saint's helmet. He stands on the dead body of the dragon which he has just slain and on either side of him are two oak trees, the national tree. 

This mosaic is by the firm of Salviati of Venice. It is from a design by Sir Edward John Poynter (1836-1919), and was installed in 1869. More on this work

Edward John Poynter (1836–1919)

Head of Saint George

Oil on panel

H 68.6 x W 55.5 cm

Parliamentary Art Collection

St George, the patron saint of England, was a martyr of the 3rd to 4th centuries. No historical accounts of his life have survived, although he was widely venerated from an early time. The tale of his slaughtering a dragon and rescuing a maiden at Silene in Libya comes from the book called the Golden Legend, a collection of fantastical saints' lives composed in the 13th century. How he came to be patron saint of England is not clear: it may have originated in the foundation, by Edward III, of the Order of the Garter under St George's patronage. More on Saint George

Edward Poynter  (1836–1919)

The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, c. 1890

Oil on canvas

Height: 2,345 mm (92.3 in); Width: 3,505 mm (11.4 ft)

Art Gallery of New South Wales

When contemplating this picture it is useful to bear in mind that the second half of the nineteenth century was a period remarkable for archaeological researches and discoveries, especially by English expeditions. The British Museum was a treasure house of antiquities increasingly valued by artists as a reference library. Egypt and the Middle East replaced Greece and Italy as the focus of curiosity. 'The visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon' can be contextualised against a craze for orientalist narratives in literature, music and visual art. The artist has been so obsessed with the accuracy of his details, however, that the figures seem somewhat doll-like. More on this painting

He became best known for his large historical paintings such as Israel in Egypt (See top painting), followed by St George for England (1869) (See above), a mosaic for the Central Lobby of the Palace of Westminster, depicting St George and the Dragon and perhaps culminating with The visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon (1884–90 (See above). He was admitted as an associate of the Royal Academy in 1869.

Edward John Poynter (1836–1919)

The Fortune Teller, c. 1877

Oil on canvas

H 64.2 x W 76.5 cm

Royal Academy of Arts

Edward John Poynter (British, 1836–1919)

On Guard in the Time of Pharaohs , 1864

Oil on canvas

32.5 x 20.5 in. (82.6 x 52.1 cm.)

Private collection

Poynter held a number of official posts: he was the first Slade Professor at University College London from 1871 to 1875, principal of the National Art Training School from 1875 to 1881 and director of the National Gallery from 1894 to 1904 (overseeing the opening of the Tate Gallery). He became a full Royal Academician in 1876. In 1896, on the death of Sir John Millais, Poynter was elected President of the Academy. He received a knighthood in the same year and an honorary degree from Cambridge University in 1898. It was announced that he would receive a baronetcy in the 1902 Coronation Honours list published on 26 June 1902 for the (subsequently postponed) coronation of King Edward VII, and on 24 July 1902 he was created a Baronet, of Albert Gate, in the city of Westminster, in the county of London.

Sir Edward Poynter 1836–1919

A Visit to Aesculapius, c. 1880

Oil paint on canvas

1511 × 2286 mm

Tate

Sir Edward Poynter 1836–1919

Detail; A Visit to Aesculapius, c. 1880

Oil paint on canvas

1511 × 2286 mm

Tate

Aesculapius was the Greek god of healing and medicine. In a scene taken from a poem by the Elizabethan Thomas Watson, Poynter shows him being consulted by Venus who has a thorn in her foot. Venus is identified by the doves, which are her attributes, and she is accompanied by her handmaidens, the three Graces, who are the personification of grace and beauty. Poynter posed them in the traditional Classical manner, with two of the Graces facing the viewer, while one turns her back. More on this painting

It appears from the subjects of his paintings (King Solomon and King Solomon's Temple) and his association with Kipling that he was a Freemason. Prints of his painting The visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon are to be found in many Masonic Lodges around the world.

Edward John Poynter (British, 1836–1919)Title:

Zenobia Captive, c. 1878

Oil on canvas

72 x 54.5 cm. (28.3 x 21.5 in.)

Private collection

Queen Zenobia of Palmyra is one of those women who left their mark on history, and whose life still gives fascinating stories to writers. She lived a very long time ago, in the 3rd century AD, this was the period when the city of Palmyra, now in Syria and practically completely destroyed, was a prosperous city.

Emperor Aurelian went to war against the kingdom of Palmyra, and no matter how brave Zenobia was, no matter how brave her soldiers were, the Romans prevailed. The queen fled from Palmyra, but was captured by the Romans.

The queen's pride was humiliated. Aurelian held her in chains during his triumph in Rome as a prisoner. At the same time, a huge amount of gold jewelry and precious stones was hung on Zenobia. All this heaviness pressed on the woman, but she did not bow her head and did not show her feelings in any way. More on Zenobia

Edward John Poynter

Diadumenè, c. 1883

Oil on canvas

H 51 x W 50.9 cm

Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery

Diadumenè, originally exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1885 as a nude, inspired a debate carried out in the correspondence columns of The Times regarding the nude in art. Sir Edward John Poynter was eventually drawn into the argument and despite his strong stance against his critics in these debates, he was compelled to add drapery to the figure, as it is seen today (below). The small bronze statue in the painting’s background echoes Diadumenè’s pose, though its still undraped state is a reminder of Poynter’s original intentions for the work. More on this painting

Edward John Poynter

Diadumenè, c. 1893

Oil on canvas

88 by 52 1/4 in. 223.5 by 132.7 cm 

Private collection

The pictures portray the model binding her hair with a fillet (a strip of ribbon or cloth) in preparation for bathing. As Poynter indicates in a long letter to The Times, the little finger of the left hand visible on the back of the head and the direction of the fillet dictated his recreation of the pose, the left arm raised to hold the hair in place while the fabric was wound by the right. 

Edward John Poynter (1836–1919)

Mrs Langtry (1853–1929), c. 1878

Oil on canvas

H 75 x W 62 cm

Jersey Museum and Art Gallery

Emilie Charlotte Langtry (née Le Breton; October 13, 1853 – February 12, 1929), known as Lillie (or Lily) Langtry and nicknamed "The Jersey Lily", was a British-American socialite, actress and producer.

Born on the island of Jersey, upon marrying she moved to London in 1876. Her looks and personality attracted interest, commentary, and invitations from artists and society hostesses, and she was celebrated as a young woman of great beauty and charm.

By 1881, she had become an actress and starred in many plays in the UK and the United States, including She Stoops to Conquer, The Lady of Lyons, and As You Like It, eventually running her own stage production company. In later life she performed "dramatic sketches" in vaudeville. She was also known for her relationships with noblemen, including the Prince of Wales, the Earl of Shrewsbury, and Prince Louis of Battenberg. She was the subject of widespread public and media interest. More on Mrs Langtry 

Edward John Poynter (British, 1836–1919)

Cressida

Oil on canvas

71 x 56 cm. (28 x 22 in.)

Private collection

Cressida is a character who appears in many Medieval and Renaissance retellings of the story of the Trojan War. She is a Trojan woman, the daughter of Calchas, a Greek seer. She falls in love with Troilus, the youngest son of King Priam, and pledges everlasting love, but when she is sent to the Greeks as part of a hostage exchange, she forms a liaison with the Greek warrior Diomedes. In later culture she becomes an archetype of a faithless lover. More on Cressida

Edward John Poynter

Andromeda, c. 1869

Oil on canvas

51 by 36cm ; 20 by 14in 

Private collection

Andromeda is the daughter of the Aethiopian king Cepheus and his wife Cassiopeia. When Cassiopeia's hubris leads her to boast that Andromeda is more beautiful than the Nereids, Poseidon sends a sea monster, Cetus, to ravage Aethiopia as divine punishment. Andromeda is stripped and chained naked to a rock as a sacrifice to sate the monster, but is saved from death by Perseus.

 

As a subject, Andromeda has been popular in art since classical times; it is one of several Greek myths of a Greek hero's rescue of the intended victim of an archaic hieros gamos, giving rise to the "princess and dragon" motif. From the Renaissance, interest revived in the original story, typically as derived from Ovid's account. More on Andromeda

Poynter's old school, Brighton College, held an exhibition of Poynter's paintings and drawings entitled Life at Arms Length in its Burstow Gallery in November–December 1995. More on Edward John Poynter

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, 365 Saints and 365 Days, also visit my Boards on Pinterest

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