02 Paintings, PORTRAIT OF A LADY, Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys' Cassandra, with Footnotes #148

Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys (British, 1829-1904)

Cassandra

Pencil, watercolour and coloured chalks on light blue paper

14 1/8 x 21 in. (35.8 x 53.3 cm.)

Private collection

Sold for GBP 75,600 in December 2022

The most beautiful daughter of King Priam of Troy, Cassandra caught the notice of Apollo, who gave her the gift of prophesy. However, when the god came to her at night, she rejected him and he ordered that her prophesies should not be believed. Here Cassandra is both salient and alone, constrained by her inability to persuade her peers, afflicted by visions of terrors that are to come. The irony of her tale makes it more potent; it is her son Paris whose love for Helen exacerbates division between Troy and Greece, and leads to the destruction of Troy.

Cassandra's hair and garments billow out behind her, as if animated by a seeming centrifugal force of heightened consciousness, in contrast to the still equanimity of the city beyond.

Frederick Sandys (1829–1904)

Cassandra, c.1863–1864

Oil on board

H 30.2 x W 25.4 cm

Ulster Museum

Sandys had treated the subject before, in 1863-4 (see above). This version, oil on panel, is a more abrasive image depicting a dark-haired Cassandra, her mouth wide open as if she is screaming, a coastal landscape beyond. Betty Elzea explains that for this earlier painting Sandys used the gypsy Keomi as a model, whereas for the present drawing he used one of his daughters. More on this painting

Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys (born Antonio Frederic Augustus Sands; 1 May 1829 – 25 June 1904), usually known as Frederick Sandys, was a British painter, illustrator, and draughtsman, associated with the Pre-Raphaelites. He was also associated with the Norwich School of painters.

He was educated at Norwich Grammar School and at the Government School of Design at Norwich. Sandys made architectural and antiquarian drawings for him and etched his drawings.

He exhibited drawings at the Norwich Art Union from 1839 and won Royal Society of Arts medals in 1846 and 1847. By 1851, the year he first exhibited at the Royal Academy, he had moved to London. A precocious draughtsman, he worked mainly as an illustrator and portraitist, but in the late 1850s and early 1860s he also painted in oils.

Sandys first became acquainted with the Pre-Raphaelites in 1857, while working on his engraving A Nightmare, a parody of Millais's Sir Isumbras at the Ford. He called on Rossetti in order to get an accurate likeness for the engraving, and they became friends. He was thereafter much admired but remained on the fringes of the group. 

He showed regularly at the Royal Academy from 1851 to 1886, and at the Grosvenor Gallery, London from 1877. He became a founder member of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers in 1898. He died in London. More on Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, 365 Saints, 365 Days, and Biblical Icons, also visit my Boards on Pinterest and my art stores at  deviantart and Aaroko

Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others. Some Images may be subject to copyright

I don't own any of these images - credit is always given when due unless it is unknown to me. if I post your images without your permission, please tell me.

Ads are shown only to compensate the hosting expenses.

If you enjoyed this post, please share with friends and family.

Thank you for visiting my blog and also for liking its posts and pages.

Please note that the content of this post primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.