Study for Festival c. 1875

"Study for Festival," a preparatory drawing by Edward John Poynter (1836-1919), is a study in pencil on paper. The drawing is a series of sketches of a draped figure, possibly a woman. The figures are shown from different angles, with an emphasis on the folds of the drapery. This is an example of a preparatory study for a larger work, demonstrating Poynter's meticulous approach to the human form and the depiction of fabric. This study suggests a potential female figure for a larger painting that may have been intended for a more formal composition, possibly incorporating the theme of a festival.