The Ionian Dance

This magnificent, sensuous painting The Ionian Dance (1895) by Sir Edward John Poynter comes up for grabs at Bonhams’ 19th Century Paintings sale at New Bond Street, London, on 10 July, having been lost (in various private hands abroad) for 100 years. Sir Edward was director of the National Gallery and President of the Royal Academy of Arts in the days when academicians were real artists, not crap peddlers. So this painting is a very important piece of British art history. For an estimated £300,000 to £400,000, it's a snip. It mustn't be allowed to leave the UK again. The National Gallery would be the perfect place to hang it for all to see. CLICK for a larger graphic and more details.