Lot 47
  • 47

Sir Edward John Poynter, Bt., P.R.A., R.W.S.

Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 USD
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Description

  • Sir Edward John Poynter, Bt., P.R.A., R.W.S.
  • Feeding the Sacred Ibis in the Halls of Karnac
  • signed and dated 18EJP71 (lower right)
  • oil on canvas
  • 38 by 29 3/4 in.
  • 96.5 by 75.5 cm

Provenance

Thomas Wardell, Esq., Rathgar, Dublin (and sold, his sale, Christie's, London, May 29, 1880, lot 56)
Thomas Agnew & Sons, London (acquired at the above sale)
Robert Rankin, Esq. (and sold, his sale, Christie's, London, May 14, 1898, lot 69)
Richardson (acquired at the above sale)
Sir Merton Russell Cotes, Bournemouth, United Kingdom (and sold, his sale, Christie's, London, May 16, 1919, lot 138)
Sampson (acquired at the above sale)
The Fine Art Society, London

Exhibited

London, Royal Academy, 1871, no. 238

Literature

The Art Journal, 1871, p. 153
The Art Journal, 1874, p. 26, illustrated opposite
Herbert Sharp, "The Work of Edward Poynter," Studio, 1896, vol. 7, p. 8
Cosmo Monkhouse, "Sir Edward J. Poynter, President of the Royal Academy, his Life & Work," The Easter Art Annual, 1897, pp. 12, 32, illustrated p. 2
Algernon Graves, The Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1906,  vol. III, p. 197
Herman de Meulenaere, Ancient Egypt in Nineteenth Century Painting, Belgium, 1992, p. 108, illustrated opposite

Condition

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This work has been cleaned fairly recently. The canvas has an old glue lining which is well supporting the paint layer. There are no structural damages and the paint layer is not abraded. There are a few retouches around the edges, particularly the bottom edge. The condition is very respectable within the picture itself. A fresh coat of varnish would perhaps be beneficial, but the picture could otherwise be hung as is, in its original frame.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Sir Edward John Poynter studied in Paris between 1856 and 1859 and spent much of that period in the atelier of Charles Gleyre, who had travelled to Egypt in 1834-35 and returned not only with a large number of watercolors of the ruins and people but with an abiding fascination with Egyptian culture. Poynter painted a number of Egyptian subjects in the 1860s, including single figure compositions portraying the daily life and rituals of Ancient Egypt such as On Guard in the time of the Pharoahs (1864, Private Collection), Offerings to Isis (1866, Newport Museum and Art Gallery, South Wales), and Adoration of Ra (1867, Private Collection). Feeding the Sacred Ibis in the Halls of Karnac seems to have been the last of this group.