Artwork
Apelles (design for a mosaic in the Victoria and Albert Museum)
Apelles (design for a mosaic in the Victoria and Albert Museum) is an oil painting by Edward John, Sir Poynter. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Edward Poynter’s 1864 oil painting titled Apelles, a design intended for a mosaic, is part of the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work presents a solitary figure in a studio setting, surrounded by the tools of his trade and a partially completed canvas.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, dressed in a red toga over his left shoulder and a brown tunic, holds a palette and a bundle of brushes, identifying him as an artist. A large dark vase rests at his feet, while an adjacent canvas displays an unfinished nude, suggesting a focus on the creative process and the classical ideal of the painter as a craftsman.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil, Poynter employs a restrained palette of earth tones contrasted with the vivid red garment. The background features a circular arrangement of golden mosaic tiles, echoing the work’s original purpose as a design for a larger decorative program.
History & Provenance
Created in 1864, the painting was later acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it remains on display. Its title references Apelles, the celebrated ancient Greek painter, linking Poynter’s 19th‑century practice to classical artistic heritage.
Context
Poynter, a prominent academic painter of the Victorian era, often incorporated historical and mythological subjects into his work. This piece reflects the period’s interest in reviving classical themes and the integration of fine art with decorative arts, as evidenced by its intended translation into a mosaic.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Edward John Poynter, 1st Baronet (20 March 1836 – 26 July 1919) was an English painter, designer, and draughtsman, who served as President of the Royal Academy.
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