Poynter, SIR EDWARD JOHN

Poynter, SIR EDWARD JOHN, painter, was born in Paris, 20th March 1836, the son of Ambrose Poynter, architect, and great-grandson of Thomas Banks, sculptor, R.A. He was educated at Westminster, Brighton College, and Ipswich grammar-school. Very delicate health caused him to be sent to Madeira for the winter of 1852-53, and from this visit arose the earnest desire to become an artist. The winter of 1853-54 was spent in Rome, and here he made the acquaintance of Frederick Leighton, then a young man painting his picture of 'Cimabue,' who allowed Poynter to work in his studio, drawing from the models and drapery from which he was studying for his picture. In 1856 he went to study in Paris, and in 1860 settled finally in London. He now made many designs for stained glass, and drawings on wood for Once a Week and other periodicals, and for Dalziel's projected illustrated Bible. This led him to study Egyptian art; and in 1864 he began his large 'Israel in Egypt' (1867). His water-colours are numerous, and he was elected to the Royal Water Colour Society in 1883. In 1868 he was made an A.R.A., in 1876 an R.A. In 1871 he was appointed Slade professor, and in 1876 Director for Art and Principal of the training-schools at South Kensington—appointments which in 1881 he resigned as interfering too seriously with his time for painting. Among the most important of his works are 'The Catapult' (1868); 'The Prodigal Son' (1869); 'The Ibis Girl' (1871); 'The Festival' and 'The Golden Age' (1875); 'Zenobia' (1876); 'A Visit to Æsculapius' (1880, now at South Kensington); 'The Ides of March' (1883); 'Outward Bound' (1886); 'A Corner of the Market Place' (1887); 'Under the Sea Wall' (1888); 'A Corner in the Villa' (1889); 'The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon' (1890); and 'Perseus and Andromeda' (1872), 'The Dragon of Wantley' (1873), 'Atalanta's Race' (1876), 'Nansicaa and her Maidens' (1879), all painted for the Earl of Wharncliffe, and now at Wortley Hall. In the years 1869-70 he did the cartoons for a large mosaic of St George in the central lobby in the Houses of Parliament. In 1882-84 he painted designs for the decoration of the dome of St Paul's, and cartoons (full size) for one portion of the dome. Of portraits may be mentioned those of Lord Ripon (1886), Sir Gerald Graham (1886), and the Earl of Harewood (1888). In 1894 he became director of the National Gallery. In 1896 he was made P.R.A. and knighted. See the article by Cosmo Monkhouse in the Art Journal for Easter 1897.