Lesbia and Her Sparrow 1907

Edward John Poynter painted "Lesbia and Her Sparrow" with oils, and the way he builds up the layers is really intriguing. It's like he's thinking through the image as he goes. The colours are muted, almost dreamy, especially in the folds of her robe where the purple bleeds into the white. Up close you can see each brushstroke. There's a spot on her arm, right where the little sparrow perches, where the paint is built up in tiny dashes. It gives the whole area a soft, hazy feel, like the moment is fragile and fleeting. Poynter reminds me a little bit of Lawrence Alma-Tadema, with that same love of classical themes, but there's a tenderness here, a real sense of intimacy, which makes the painting feel really special, even if we don't quite know the story behind it. It makes you think about how we try to hold onto the things we love.