Studio: international art (7.1896)

The Work of E. J. Poynter, R.A'.

Christ in Judgment, with the Book of Life open
before Him (Rev. xx. n), the lower, The Dead-
Rising from the Sea, by Sir F. Leighton. In the
small panels on the ribs are visions of woes which
fell on the earth; in that on the left the sun is
darkened ; on the right a burning mountain falls
into the sea, which is changed into blood. In the

SELECTIONS F.ROM THE DRAWINGS FOR THE TWELVE
SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC. BY E. J. l'OYNTER, R.A.

centre small medallion between the large panels is
the angel with the censer. Surmounting each rib
are two youthful angels, seated; those standing
below them illustrate the chorus of praise to the
Lamb which accompanies the fulfilment of the
visions in the Apocalypse. The lower side groups
represent the holy on earth, and illustrate appro-

priate texts from the Psalms of Praise; and the
throne in the centre below the circular panels
contains the figure of St. John the Evangelist
receiving inspiration to write to the Seven Churches-
(Rev. i. 2). Mr. Poynfer also made designs of
St. Mark and St. John for two of the pendentives,
which surround the dome. The original designs
for the dome, which are in colour, with gold filling
the open spaces between the architecture and
panels, were at first intended to be carried out in
mosaic ; but on the cartoons being fixed in position
for trial, it was found that from below so much of
the subject was lost through the darkness of the
dome, that the completion of the scheme had to be
abandoned. What steps may ultimately be taken
towards the re-decoration of this portion of our
fine Cathedral it is difficult to say; but there is
little doubt that if one or two of the ablest of our
decorative artists were again to be given an oppor-
tunity and a perfectly free hand, without being
compelled to adopt the same line of treatment as
any previous designer, the problem of finding
a suitable scheme for the successful decoration
of the dome's gloomy interior would be solved.
In 1883, Mr. Poynter exhibited at the Royal
Academy two pictures, Psyche, a water-colour, and
The Ides of March ; and at the Grosvenor one,
Dover Castle. At the lirst-named gallery in 1884
were several portraits, including those of the
Bishop of Sydney, Lady Elcho, &c, designs for four
medals in bronze, and Diadumene, a finished small
version, but with quite a different background and
surroundings, of the large picture exhibited at the
Academy of 1885, concerning which, and other
works having undraped figures, there was held
such a lively discussion on the morality of the nude
in art during the season of that year.

On this point, it may be remarked, that to the
well-balanced mind there should be nothing to
offend the morals in the portrayal of the human
form disrobed; a great deal depends on the artist's
treatment, and also in the types chosen ; the too
voluptuous, or gross and sensual, will always be
rejected by artists of good taste and refined feeling ;
their aims being directed, as all good Art has been
directed in the past, towards obtaining the higher
beauty to be found in the intellectual types, and
the highest ideal of grandeur and dignity of form.
In the many nude figures appearing in his pictures,
it cannot be said of Mr. Poynter that he has ever
treated them with anything but the greatest purity
of taste and feeling; all his figures, female particu-
larly, have a kind of beauty that makes it impos-
sible to conceive any demoralising effect being pro-