He was born in Paris, though his parents returned to
Britain soon after. He was educated at Brighton College and Ipswich
School, but left school early for reasons of ill health, spending
winters in Madeira and Rome. In 1853 he met Frederick
Leighton in Rome, who made a great impression on the 17-
year-old Poynter. On his return to London he studied at Leigh's
academy in Newman Street and the Royal Academy Schools,
before going to Paris to study
in the studio of the classicist
painter Charles Gleyre where
James McNeill Whistler and
George du Maurier were
fellow-students