Tile Design - Theseus and the Minotaur in the Labyrinth
1861
Accession number: 1927P594
Pencil, brown wash, pen and ink on paper.
Width: 255 mm
Height: 261 mm
Information
Burne-Jones's accounts for early 1862 list two designs for 'Theseus' tiles, of which this is the only one known, but may have been executed as early as 1861. It shows a four five-inch tile format for the narrative scene and a medievel-style interpretation of the subject matter, with Theseus dressed in a tunic of Late Gothic damask or brocade and the Minotaur peering, gargoyle-like, round the labyrinth wall. It derives not from ancient mythology, but from Chaucer's retelling of the Greek story in his 'Legend of Good Women', which explains its medieval character.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THESEUS/ LABYRINTHUS/ MINOTAURUS | ||||
| Label | - | Handwritten | 1861 | labels. written in the artist's hand |
Exhibitions
| Catalogue No. | Venue | Date(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burne Jones: The Paintings, Graphic & Decorative Work | |||
| 69 | Hayward Gallery, London | 1975-11-05 - 1976-01-04 | |
| 69 | Southampton City Art Gallery | 1976-01-24 - 1976-02-22 | |
| 69 | Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery | 1976-03-10 - 1976-04-11 | |
| Pre-Raphaelite Art from Birmingham | |||
| 10 | Hong Kong Museum of Art | 1984-10-19 - 1984-12-02 | |
| Pre-Raphaelite Drawings | |||
| - | BMAG G19 | 1989-01 - - | |
| Morris & Co Tiles | |||
| 18 | William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow | 1996-09-14 - 1997-01-05 | |
Literature
| Author(s) | Date(s) | Publisher | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: Catalogue of the Permanent Collection of Drawings | |||
| A E Whitley | 1939 | Bemrose & Sons Ltd, Derby | p. 149 |
| Burne-Jones | |||
| Bill Waters, Martin Harrison | 1973 | Barrie & Jenkins, London | fig. 86 |
| 'Theseus & Ariadne: A Newly Discovered Burne-Jones' | |||
| John Christian, Richard Dorment | 1975 | Burlington Magazine, CXVII, September 1975 | p. 596; fig. 32 |
| William Morris Tiles | |||
| Hilary Myers, Richard Myers | 1996 | Richard Dennis, Somerset | p. 20; fig. 34 |
| Hidden Burne-Jones, Works on paper by Edward Burne-Jones from Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery | |||
| 2007 | Dan Giles, Ltd., London | p. 94 | |
Associated people
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| William Morris | Associated with |
| Ovid | Author |
Related work & resources
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