Design for a decorative tile representing Helen of Troy
Design (Visual Work)
1868 (designed)
1868 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Pencil and watercolour, blue and white roundel design for tiles. The mythological queen, Helen of Troy, is depicted standing in a loggia or similar setting furnished with a daybed and thin curtain. She clutches at a cloak or large sheet which appears to billow around her in the wind. Resting one hand on the loggia sill and facing to the right, she gazes out to see armed soldiers gathering beyond. Two ships float on the sea which lies behind them, and a landmass is silhouetted on the horizon. A blue border encloses the composition. Signed with artist's monogram and dated.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Design for a decorative tile representing Helen of Troy (published title) |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Dado tile design by E. J. Poynter for the Grill Room, South Kensington Museum: 1 of 11 classical female figure subjects (Helen). 1868. |
| Physical description | Pencil and watercolour, blue and white roundel design for tiles. The mythological queen, Helen of Troy, is depicted standing in a loggia or similar setting furnished with a daybed and thin curtain. She clutches at a cloak or large sheet which appears to billow around her in the wind. Resting one hand on the loggia sill and facing to the right, she gazes out to see armed soldiers gathering beyond. Two ships float on the sea which lies behind them, and a landmass is silhouetted on the horizon. A blue border encloses the composition. Signed with artist's monogram and dated. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | Signed with artist's (Poynter's) monogram within the date 1868: '18EJP68' |
| Object history | Edward John Poynter was invited to tender for the decoration of the Grill Room in November 1865. He signed many of his dado tile designs for the Grill Room - including this one - with his monogram and the date 1868. Judging from the Seventeenth Report of the Science and Art Department, the Grill Room's dado tiles were all installed by the end of 1869 at the latest. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Associations | |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1120:9 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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