About this lot
Description
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt., ARA, RWS (British, 1833-1898) Hymen, the goddess of marriage holding a harp; A Married couple being blessed the first inscribed and dated upper right with initials "AG / 1876" (a dedication to Agnes Graham), the second signed upper right "From EBJ" pencil on card, two framed together, 33 x 16.5 cm (13 x 6.5in) each, overall 51 x 56cm (20 x 22in)
Provenance: Agnes Graham (1861-1937) and by direct descent Exhibited: Midland Counties Art Museum, Nottingham Castle, Selected pictures by living and deceased artists. Works by Italian masters of the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th centuries and pictures by Dante G. Rossetti, Ford Maddox Brown, E. Burne Jones A.R.A. and R. Spencer Stanhope, etc., February 1892, no. 75, as "Orpheus (pencil studies)", Lent by Major Jekyll, R.E. (1846-1932) Other Notes: The present drawings are dedicated to the artist and writer, Agnes Graham (1861-1937, later Dame Agnes Jekyll, m. 1881), with whom Burne-Jones had a long and affectionate correspondence. Agnes was the daughter of one of the artist's most devoted patrons - William Graham (1817-1885), the affluent Scottish merchant, Liberal MP for Glasgow (1865-1874) and patron of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Having first encountered Burne-Jones' works in 1864, Graham became close friends with the artist and started collecting his works, amassing the biggest collection at the time. Graham often invited him to his country house in Stobhall, Perthshire, and Burne-Jones thus became closely acquainted with Graham's daughters - both Agnes and her elder sister, Frances (1854-1940, later Lady Horner). A voluminous correspondent, Burne-Jones exchanged numerous letters with the family over a period of thirty years. The letters, in which he casts himself as a mentor to both sisters, give a fascinating insight into their relationship and show the affinity that he felt for the Graham daughters. Frances became one of his most intimate friends and his muse, often being asked to model for his works. His fondness for Agnes is expressed in his correspondence to her, which commenced in 1876 when she and her family were making a tour of Italy. In his letters - which he often illustrated for Agnes' pleasure - he adopts a playful yet informative tone and offers advice, seeking to instil in her the aesthetic tastes that he shared with her father. Agnes' affection for him was shown when she made him godfather to her daughter, Pamela Jekyll. Although Burne-Jones played a lesser part in Agnes' life, the present drawings and the surviving correspondence in the following lot, attest to the artist's high regard for his greatest patron's younger daughter. We are grateful to The Burne-Jones Catalogue Raisonné who have confirmed that these drawings are by Sir Edward Burne-Jones Bt and will be included in the forthcoming catalogue of the drawings of the artist. They have also helpfully pointed out that these are preparatory studies for the painting Hymenaeus, now in the Delaware Art Museum, which the painter gave to Luke Ionides upon his marriage in 1869. The date and inscription on the present drawings are from when Burne-Jones later gave them to Agnes Graham.
Each stuck down to card. Two mounted together. Some staining under the mount. Little foxing throughout both drawings.
Back to lot listings