Lot 11
  • 11

SIR EDWARD JOHN POYNTER, BT., P.R.A., R.W.S. | Beware, Trust her Not, She is Fooling Thee

Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • Beware, Trust her Not, She is Fooling Thee
  • signed with monogram and dated 1865 l.r. and signed and indistinctly inscribed on the reverse; No.2 Bloomsbury/ Edward J. Poynter
  • watercolour with pencil and gum arabic
  • 52 by 37cm., 21 by 14½in.

Provenance

Charles Nicholls & Son, Manchester;
Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers, Copenhagen, 27 February 1996, lot 239;
Christie's, London, 7 June 1996, lot 559, where purchased by the present owner

Condition

This watercolour is in very good condition with no significant condition issues. The paper has not been laid down and is cockling slightly in the frame. The picture is ready to hang. FRAME This watercolour is contained in an attractive gilt moulded frame (probably the original).
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

The present watercolour is one of a small group of pictures painted by Poynter in the 1860s which clearly show the close affinities that the artist had with the art of the other members of the Aesthetic Movement Rossetti, Leighton and his brother-in-law Burne-Jones who painted a very similar picture entitled The Goldfish Pool in 1861-2 (Carlisle Art Gallery) which Poynter probably saw in the collection of another friend George Price Boyce. The lack of narrative in these pictures and concentration on female beauty, modern fashion, decorative accessories and idyllic settings was crucial to the new art style of the 1860s. Comparable pictures by Poynter include The Bunch of Blue Ribbons of 1862 (Christie's, London, 4 November 1994, lot 74), A Day Dream of 1863 (Bonhams, London, 23 March 2004, lot 74) and The Peacock Fan of 1864 (sold in these rooms, 15 November 2011, lot 49). The model for this watercolour may have been Ellen Smith, who was also popular with Rossetti, Burne-Jones, Boyce and Albert Moore in the mid-1860s until she was so badly beaten by a jealous suitor that she was no longer able to pose.