Lot Essay
Zenobia was Queen of Palmyra in modern-day Syria, and controlled an Empire which in AD 271 stretched from Egypt to Anatolia. Whilst she initially enjoyed the protection of Rome, her declaration of her son as Emperor, and herself as Empress, aggravated the true Emperor Aurelian to march against her. Zenobia was captured, and was led be-jewelled, but enchained, through the streets of Rome.
When Aurelian was criticised for making so much of a mere woman, he claimed that his critics would be silenced if they knew what a woman she was: wise, steadfast, generous, yet stern when discipline demanded it. She was also notoriously beautiful.
Contemporary critics lavished considerable praise on the picture. The Athenaeum hoped that Poynter would produce more pictures in a similar vein: 'Sumptuous study as this beautiful work undoubtedly is, we are half disposed to regret that Mr Poynter’s onerous duties at Kensington interfere with the production of works which, like Atalanta’s Race, not only reflect credit on the artist’s powers, redound to the honour of the British School of Art’ (loc. cit.). Poynter was at that date Principal of the National Art Training School and would later become President of the Royal Academy, and Director of the National Gallery. The Art Journal echoed these sentiments, calling the picture 'very grand and very beautiful and Mr Poynter, of whose lack of spontaneity we complained in Mrs Langtry’s portrait, is here most exquisite in every detail’ (loc. cit.).
Poynter scored his first success with Eastern (as opposed to Classical) subjects in 1867, when he exhibited the monumental Israel in Egypt, now in the Guildhall, London. Another large orientalist composition was The Queen of Sheba’s visit to King Solomon of 1890, now in the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Between these set pieces came smaller works such as Zenobia Captive, where Poynter evoked the ancient world rather than describing it with archaeological precision. Zenobia’s robe for instance was a studio prop of probably Indian origin, possibly supplied by his brother-in-law John Lockwood Kipling, principal of the Mayo School of Arts, Lahore. The head-dress is markedly similar to pieces from productions of Aida now found in the Museum of London. The snake band worn on the upper arm is comparable to one made for Alma-Tadema for inclusion in various paintings. Indeed for his depiction of Helen of Troy (1881, Art Gallery of New South Wales), Poynter composed a necklace of his own design which was then made by Carlo Giuliano. This survives in the Victoria & Albert Museum.
We are grateful to Charlotte Gere for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.
When Aurelian was criticised for making so much of a mere woman, he claimed that his critics would be silenced if they knew what a woman she was: wise, steadfast, generous, yet stern when discipline demanded it. She was also notoriously beautiful.
Contemporary critics lavished considerable praise on the picture. The Athenaeum hoped that Poynter would produce more pictures in a similar vein: 'Sumptuous study as this beautiful work undoubtedly is, we are half disposed to regret that Mr Poynter’s onerous duties at Kensington interfere with the production of works which, like Atalanta’s Race, not only reflect credit on the artist’s powers, redound to the honour of the British School of Art’ (loc. cit.). Poynter was at that date Principal of the National Art Training School and would later become President of the Royal Academy, and Director of the National Gallery. The Art Journal echoed these sentiments, calling the picture 'very grand and very beautiful and Mr Poynter, of whose lack of spontaneity we complained in Mrs Langtry’s portrait, is here most exquisite in every detail’ (loc. cit.).
Poynter scored his first success with Eastern (as opposed to Classical) subjects in 1867, when he exhibited the monumental Israel in Egypt, now in the Guildhall, London. Another large orientalist composition was The Queen of Sheba’s visit to King Solomon of 1890, now in the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Between these set pieces came smaller works such as Zenobia Captive, where Poynter evoked the ancient world rather than describing it with archaeological precision. Zenobia’s robe for instance was a studio prop of probably Indian origin, possibly supplied by his brother-in-law John Lockwood Kipling, principal of the Mayo School of Arts, Lahore. The head-dress is markedly similar to pieces from productions of Aida now found in the Museum of London. The snake band worn on the upper arm is comparable to one made for Alma-Tadema for inclusion in various paintings. Indeed for his depiction of Helen of Troy (1881, Art Gallery of New South Wales), Poynter composed a necklace of his own design which was then made by Carlo Giuliano. This survives in the Victoria & Albert Museum.
We are grateful to Charlotte Gere for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.