Study for Festival c. 1875

Edward John Poynter created this drawing, Study for Festival, using graphite and red chalk on paper. Poynter was an English painter, designer, and draughtsman, who served as Director of the National Gallery. Here, we see studies of draped fabric. The image allows us to consider the culture of academic art training in late 19th century Britain. An artist like Poynter would have spent years in the studio drawing drapery, learning how to render its folds, weight, and texture. Mastery of such skills was essential for any artist aspiring to paint historical or mythological subjects, as Poynter did. One might see the emphasis on drapery as conservative and backward-looking, rooted in the traditions of the Royal Academy. Yet one could also see it as progressive. These sorts of skills were necessary for challenging those same traditions. To understand this drawing better, we might consult Poynter’s writings or the records of the institutions with which he was affiliated. These kinds of resources will help us understand art's place within its specific social and institutional context.