Boating on the Italian Lakes

Edward John Poynter was the son of the architect Ambrose Poynter. He was born in Paris and educated in England although due to ill health he spent much of his winters in Madeira and Rome. In 1852 he met Frederic Leighton in Rome who encouraged him to return to London to study at Leigh’s Academy and the Royal Academy Schools before going on to Paris to study in the studio of Charles Gleyre. Poynter held a number of official posts, including, Slade Professor, Principal of the National Art Training School, Director of the National Gallery and President of the Royal Academy. He was knighted in 1898 and created a baronet in 1902. Works by him are in many public collections. He is best known for his large Academy paintings of historical and mythological subjects but he was also a fine portrait painter and sensitive watercolourist. The present work would have been executed on one of his numerous visits to Italy, which he often made for health reasons.