[Studies of Draped Figures, Pencil Drawing. Sir Edward Burne-Jones,
English, 1833-1898]
Studies of Draped Figures, Pencil Drawing. Sir Edward Burne-Jones,
English, 1833-1898
Our Burne-Jones sketch book belonged formerly to the artist’s son, Sir
Philip Burne-Jones. In a letter Sir Philip writes: “This book of studies
and designs by my father is an important example of his work and methods.
Before starting upon the actual painting of a large composition, it was my
father’s custom to make innumerable careful studies of limbs, draperies,
etc., in chalk and pencil, and from these he worked upon the picture. The
book which is now in your possession exemplifies this system.” The sketch
book contains 113 original drawings. Some of these are on both sides of a
leaf, and frequently two or more drawings on a page. For the greater
part, they are executed in lead pencil, although several of the most
interesting are in colored chalk. Sir Edward Burne-Jones was a member of
the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, which sought to displace the
conventionality of English art of the period by detailed naturalism and
the mystical sincerity of the Italian primitives.
[Fire in Ingram Street, Pencil Drawing. Muirhead Bone, Scotch, 1876-]