Information
This composition was begun in 1857 but not finished until four years later. The figure of the Virgin may have originally been based on Jane Morris, but the face, as finally realised, was most likely modelled on the artist's fiancée, Georgiana Macdonald. A more finished study for this figure is in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. The composition may have proved difficult for Burne-Jones, both compositionally and technically. The impasto is fairly thick in some place, uncharacteristic for him even at this early stage. Several areas have also been patched and reworked, particularly the Angel Gabriel.
- Bequeathed by James Richardson Holliday, 1927.
- © Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery
Makers
Association |
Artist |
Organisation |
Artist |
Sir Edward Burne-Jones |
- |
Inscriptions
Type |
Position(s) |
Method |
Date(s) |
Notes |
EBJ/1861 [in gold circle] |
Monogram |
bottom right |
Handwritten |
1861 |
Paint. In the Artist's Hand |
|
Exhibitions
Catalogue No. |
Venue |
Date(s) |
Exhibition of the Works of Sir Edward Burne-Jones |
9 |
New Gallery, London |
1898-12-31 - 1899-04-08 |
|
Centenary Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Bart. (1833-1898) |
84 |
Tate Gallery, London |
1933-06-14 - 1933-08-31 |
|
Burne-Jones: The Paintings, Graphic, and Decorative Work of Sir Edward Burne-Jones, 1833-98 |
26 |
Hayward Gallery. London |
1975-11-05 - 1976-01-04 |
26 |
Southampton Art Gallery |
1976-01-24 - 1976-02-22 |
26 |
City Musuem and Art Gallery, Birmingham |
1976-03-10 - 1976-04-11 |
|
Pre-Raphaelite Art from the Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery |
9 |
Hong Kong Museum of Art |
1984-10-20 - 1984-12-02 |
|
British Watercolours from Birmingham |
98, repro |
Tokyo Station Gallery, and Japan tour until 1991-10-20 |
1991-06-01 - 1991-07-07 |
98, repro |
Bankside Gallery, London |
1992-01-22 - 1992-03-01 |
98, repro |
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery |
1992 - 1992 |
|
Heaven on Earth: The Religion of Beauty in Late Victorian Art |
3 |
Djanogly Art Gallery, University of Nottingham |
1994-10-07 - 1994-11-27 |
|
The Decorative Art of Burne-Jones and Morris |
8 |
Midland Area Travelling Exhibition |
1957 - 1957 |
|
Hidden Burne-Jones |
3 (repro. p. 18) |
Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery |
2007-04-04 - 2007-07-01 |
3 (repro. p. 18) |
Leighton House Museum, London |
2007-10-12 - 2008-01-27 |
|
Literature
Author(s) |
Date(s) |
Publisher |
Pages |
Edward Burne-Jones |
Malcolm Bell |
1892 |
George Bell & Sons, London |
pp. 29, 35, 107 |
|
Catalogue of the Permanent Collection of Paintings |
A E Whitley |
1930 |
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery |
p. 36 |
|
Burne-Jones |
Otto von Schleinitz |
1901 |
Bielefeld & Leipzig |
p. 16; plate 11 |
|
Hidden Burne-Jones, Works on paper by Edward Burne-Jones from Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery |
|
2007 |
Dan Giles, Ltd., London |
p. 63 |
Provenance
Richard Mills; Christie's 13.4.1908, lot 2; Agnew's; James Richardson Holliday. |
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