Sir Edward John Poynter, Bt., P.R.A., R.W.S.

Possibly, London, Royal Academy, 1865, no.335 as Portrait of a Lady

The following condition report has been prepared by Hamish Dewar Ltd, 14 Masons Yard, Duke Street, St James's, London SW1Y 6BU. EXAMINATION / TREATMENT REPORT UNCONDITIONAL AND WITHOUT PREJUDICE Structural Condition The canvas is unlined and is providing a generally secure structural support although there is some minor flaking along the lower horizontal framing edge which does require localised consolidation. Lining should certainly not be required for the foreseeable future. Paint surface The paint surface has a very discoloured varnish layer and cleaning should result in a great improvement in the overall appearance. Inspection under ultraviolet light shows no evidence of any retouching. In some areas the varnish fluoresces slightly unevenly particularly around the framing edges, but I am very confident that this is simply where the varnish layers have been disturbed by frame rubbing rather than being later retouching. Summary The painting therefore appears to be in good and stable condition and should respond extremely well to cleaning and revarnishing. Please telephone the department on 0207 293 5718 if you have any questions about the present work.
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The Peacock Fan is a fascinating rediscovery of an early painting by Poynter in his most Aesthetic phase. With the Japonisme of the bamboo and lacquer furniture, the oriental porcelain, teal-green walls and the fan of peacock feathers (the best-known symbol of the Aesthetic movement) this picture can be seen as an example of the style heralded in the 1860s by Albert Moore, Simeon Solomon, Frederic Leighton and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The languid sensuality of the girl is closest to those of Rossetti whilst the way in which the fabric is painted recalls the pictures by Leighton The Painter's Honeymoon (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) and Golden Hours (private collection) both painted in the same year as The Peacock Fan.

This painting may be the picture exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1865 under the title Portrait of a Lady, where it accompanied one of Poynter's most famous works Faithful unto Death (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool) depicting a sentry refusing to abandon his post during the destruction of Pompeii. This picture proved to be so popular that Poynter abandoned his Aesthetic style to concentrate upon a more classical and historical approach to painting.

Few paintings by Poynter from his Aesthetic period are known, the only other examples being A Day Dream (Bonhams, 23 March 2005, lot 74) and The Bunch of Blue Ribbons (Christie's, 4 November 1994, lot 74) both from 1863.