Painting of the Day: The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River, 1870

Click to Dance to Music by a River

"The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River"
Edward Burne-Jones, 1870-1882
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Inspired by the art of the Italian Renaissance which looked to Classical subjects, this painting by Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) is entitled “The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River.” The subject, clearly, is actually a depiction of “The Three Graces.” They’re dancing to the music of Apollo.

Burne-Jones used, as models friends, and relatives of the prominent art collection Constantine Alexander Ionides. The woman on the far left, one Mary Zambaco, was for awhile, a lover of Burne-Jones. She was also Mr. Ionides’ granddaughter. It didn’t end well. In fact, in another painting of the same year, “Phyllis and Demophoon,” Burne-Jones inscribed of Zambaco, the epigraph “Dic mihi quod feci? Nisi non sapienter amavi” (Tell me, what have I done? Except that I have not loved wisely).

The composition was started in 1870. But, it appears it wasn’t delivered to Ionides immediately. Burne-Jones took twelve years to finish it. Some feel that the artist developed an attachment to the painting because of his relationship with Zambaco. It was presented to Ionides in 1882 after being displayed at the Royal Academy. The inventory of Ionides’ collection as of 1882 lists that he paid £905 for “The Mill.” 

Painting of the Day: The Portrait of Zoe Ionides, 1881

Zoe Ionides
George Frederick Watts, 1881
The Victoria and Albert Museum

Here we see a half-length, nearly full face portrait of a little girl with her hands hanging by her sides. She wears a red hat, a dark maroon dress, and a fur around her neck. This painting by George Frederick Watts was bequeathed by Constantine Alexander Ionides to the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1900. However, Mr. Ionides stipulated in his will that this, along with nineteen other family portraits, should stay in the family until the death of his wife, Agathonike. Mrs. Ionides died in 1920 when the paintings were received by the V&A.

The portrait shows Zoe Ionides (1877- 1973) who was the seventh of eight children of Constantine Alexander Ionides and his wife, Agathonike. George Frederick Watts, a life-long friend of Constantine, painted over fifty members of the Ionides family over five generations. Watts had studied under the sculptor William Behnes and entered the R.A schools in 1835. He went to Florence until 1847, where he found the patronage of Lady Holland. The painter was determined to devote himself to depicting grand, universal themes such as Faith; Hope; Charity; Love and Life; and Love and Death. However, he is best remembered as a portrait painter.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Le Pardon de Plourin, Brittany, 1877

Le Pardon de Plourin, Brittany
Leon Lhermitte, 1877
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Painter Léon Lhermitte (1844-1925) was born in Mont-Saint-Père, but he didn’t remain in the little French town.  Lhermitte soon became a student at the Petite Ecole in Paris, under the supervision of Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran (1802-1897), who was responsible for instructing such famous names as Henri Fantin-Latour (1836-1904) and Alphonse Legros (1837-1911) among others.

Lhermitte exhibited at the Paris Salon between 1866 and the first decade of the 20th century. He was, notably, a founding member of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1890 and was made officer of the Légion d'honneur in 1894.

Lhermitte's is best known for his bucolic peasant scenes depicting scenes of everyday life.  Here, we see such a scene set outside of a church on the occasion of a religious feast called a “Pardon” which was celebrated during Easter. 

Lhermitte presents a charming scene of men and women in traditional dress. They are chatting and buying fruits and cakes while leaving the church in a village which looks a lot like Mont-Saint-Père—the artist’s birthplace.  In fact, Lhermitte painted this work while visiting his home town in 1877.

This work was commissioned from the artist (as a pair) by Constantine Alexander Ionides around April 1877.  A letter in a private collection from Lhermitte in Paris to the famed collector Ionides is dated April 19 1877.  The letter mentions that one of his two pictures is finished and that the other would be ready in time for his next trip to London.

Painting of the Day: The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River, 1870

Click to Dance to Music by a River

"The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River"
Edward Burne-Jones, 1870-1882
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Inspired by the art of the Italian Renaissance which looked to Classical subjects, this painting by Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) is entitled “The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River.” The subject, clearly, is actually a depiction of “The Three Graces.” They’re dancing to the music of Apollo.

Burne-Jones used, as models friends, and relatives of the prominent art collection Constantine Alexander Ionides. The woman on the far left, one Mary Zambaco, was for awhile, a lover of Burne-Jones. She was also Mr. Ionides’ granddaughter. It didn’t end well. In fact, in another painting of the same year, “Phyllis and Demophoon,” Burne-Jones inscribed of Zambaco, the epigraph “Dic mihi quod feci? Nisi non sapienter amavi” (Tell me, what have I done? Except that I have not loved wisely).

The composition was started in 1870. But, it appears it wasn’t delivered to Ionides immediately. Burne-Jones took twelve years to finish it. Some feel that the artist developed an attachment to the painting because of his relationship with Zambaco. It was presented to Ionides in 1882 after being displayed at the Royal Academy. The inventory of Ionides’ collection as of 1882 lists that he paid £905 for “The Mill.” 

Painting of the Day: The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River, 1870

Click to Dance to Music by a River

"The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River"
Edward Burne-Jones, 1870-1882
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Inspired by the art of the Italian Renaissance which looked to Classical subjects, this painting by Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) is entitled “The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River.” The subject, clearly, is actually a depiction of “The Three Graces.” They’re dancing to the music of Apollo.

Burne-Jones used, as models friends, and relatives of the prominent art collection Constantine Alexander Ionides. The woman on the far left, one Mary Zambaco, was for awhile, a lover of Burne-Jones. She was also Mr. Ionides’ granddaughter. It didn’t end well. In fact, in another painting of the same year, “Phyllis and Demophoon,” Burne-Jones inscribed of Zambaco, the epigraph “Dic mihi quod feci? Nisi non sapienter amavi” (Tell me, what have I done? Except that I have not loved wisely).

The composition was started in 1870. But, it appears it wasn’t delivered to Ionides immediately. Burne-Jones took twelve years to finish it. Some feel that the artist developed an attachment to the painting because of his relationship with Zambaco. It was presented to Ionides in 1882 after being displayed at the Royal Academy. The inventory of Ionides’ collection as of 1882 lists that he paid £905 for “The Mill.” 

Painting of the Day: Le Pardon de Plourin, Brittany, 1877

Le Pardon de Plourin, Brittany
Leon Lhermitte, 1877
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Painter Léon Lhermitte (1844-1925) was born in Mont-Saint-Père, but he didn’t remain in the little French town.  Lhermitte soon became a student at the Petite Ecole in Paris, under the supervision of Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran (1802-1897), who was responsible for instructing such famous names as Henri Fantin-Latour (1836-1904) and Alphonse Legros (1837-1911) among others.

Lhermitte exhibited at the Paris Salon between 1866 and the first decade of the 20th century. He was, notably, a founding member of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1890 and was made officer of the Légion d'honneur in 1894.

Lhermitte's is best known for his bucolic peasant scenes depicting scenes of everyday life.  Here, we see such a scene set outside of a church on the occasion of a religious feast called a “Pardon” which was celebrated during Easter. 

Lhermitte presents a charming scene of men and women in traditional dress.  They are chatting and buying fruits and cakes while leaving the church in a village which looks a lot like Mont-Saint-Père—the artist’s birthplace.  In fact, Lhermitte painted this work while visiting his home town in 1877.

This work was commissioned from the artist (as a pair) by Constantine Alexander Ionides around April 1877.  A letter in a private collection from Lhermitte in Paris to the famed collector Ionides is dated April 19 1877.  The letter mentions that one of his two pictures is finished and that the other would be ready in time for his next trip to London.

Painting of the Day: The Portrait of Zoe Ionides, 1881

Zoe Ionides
George Frederick Watts, 1881
The Victoria and Albert Museum

Here we see a half-length, nearly full face portrait of a little girl with her hands hanging by her sides. She wears a red hat, a dark maroon dress, and a fur around her neck. This painting by George Frederick Watts was bequeathed by Constantine Alexander Ionides to the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1900. However, Mr. Ionides stipulated in his will that this, along with nineteen other family portraits, should stay in the family until the death of his wife, Agathonike. Mrs. Ionides died in 1920 when the paintings were received by the V&A.

The portrait shows Zoe Ionides (1877- 1973) who was the seventh of eight children of Constantine Alexander Ionides and his wife, Agathonike. George Frederick Watts, a life-long friend of Constantine, painted over fifty members of the Ionides family over five generations. Watts had studied under the sculptor William Behnes and entered the R.A schools in 1835. He went to Florence until 1847, where he found the patronage of Lady Holland. The painter was determined to devote himself to depicting grand, universal themes such as Faith; Hope; Charity; Love and Life; and Love and Death. However, he is best remembered as a portrait painter.