Ambrose Poynter

Caen – The Artists – Poynter, Ambrose

This page forms part of a series of pages dedicated to the many artists who painted in Caen. A full list of all the artists with a link to their works can be found at the bottom of this page.

Ambrose Poynter (1796 – 1886) was an English architect. He was one of the founding members of the Institute of British Architects in 1834. Poynter set up for himself as an architect in London. About 1846 he built for himself a house and offices in Park Street, now Queen Anne’s Gate. He became noted for his Palladian and Tudor Gothic fusion architecture including the relocated Hospital and Chapel of St Katharine, Regent’s Park, London in 1826–7, and St Katharine’s Lodge (its later name) for its Master, Herbert Taylor.

Poynter lived in Paris between 1830 and 1832, where Lavinia Forster (his mother-in-law from 1832) provided a social centre for artists. They included William Callow and Richard Bonington, as well as the sculptor Henri de Triqueti who had married another daughter. Poynter sketched with, and studied watercolour painting under, Thomas Boys, who was a lifelong friend.

His son, Sir Edward John Poynter (1836–1919), was an artist, and his grandson, Sir Ambrose Macdonald Poynter (1867–1923), a notable London-based calligrapher and architect.

Click here to read Poynter’s full bio on Wikipedia.

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NOTE: A black box like this one, means that there is an explanation text about today’s situation of the painting above it.
NOTE: Click on this photo icon anywhere below a painting to see a photo of what the area looks like today.

NOTE: A blue box like this one, means there is an explanation or a note.

Ambrose Poynter 1830 - Church of Saint-Sauvieur in Caen
1830 – Ambrose Poynter – Church of Saint-Sauveur in Caen

TODAY: The Saint-Sauveur church is still there and used daily. Click on the photo icon above to see more or less the same angle the painting was made.

Ambrose Poynter 1831 - St-Nicholas, Caen
1831 – Ambrose Poynter – St-Nicholas, Caen
Ambrose Poynter ???? - St-Nicholas, Caen
???? – Ambrose Poynter – St-Nicholas, Caen

TODAY: The Saint-Nicholas church is no longer in use.

Ambrose Poynter ???? - The Cathedral of St.-Pierre, Caen
???? – Ambrose Poynter – The Cathedral of St.-Pierre, Caen

TODAY: The Saint-Pierre church is still there, right next to the Caen fortress.

Poynter painted in several other places in Normandy. A link “” to those cities will appear below when published.

Artists featured here who painted in Caen (but not limited to) are (a link “” will be placed next to an artist name when their works are published. A “*” means that the artist did NOT work in Caen itself, instead worked in nearby villages and towns):

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