Head of a young woman, facing right

Poynter was a far more academic artist than his fellow Pre-Raphaelite artists, having trained at the Royal Academy schools and in Paris at the atelier of the Neo-classicist Charles Gleyre. However, he was as equally beguiled as his contemporaries by feminine beauty, exemplified by his many portrait head sketches, of which this is a particularly fine example. Dated 'Jan. 6. 82', this red chalk study is sensitive, capturing a sense of innocence and vulnerability in the sitter with her questioning upward gaze. Poynter's masterful handling of the chalk gives a striking immediacy, perfectly capturing her beauty.