Who was Edward Burne-Jones?
Painter and designer. One of the last adherents
to the Pre-Raphaelite Style.
Date and Place of Birth:
28th August 1833, 11 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham,
England.
Family Background:
His mother Elizabeth died within days of his
birth and he was raised by his father Edward, a gilder.
Education:
King Edward 6th School, Birmingham.
Exeter College, Oxford (Never graduated). Intended to go into the
Church but decided on different career path when he met William
Morris there.
Chronology/Biography of Edward
Burne-Jones:
1855: After leaving
Oxford University he went on a tour of Northern France and decided
to become a painter.
1856: He and Morris
shared rooms at 17 Red Lion Square, London, which had previously
been occupied by Rossetti. Except for
a few lessons by Rossetti, Burne-Jones
was largely self-taught, particularly in pen and ink and watercolours.
His early work consisted of romantic or literary subjects.
1858: Made the first
of four long trips to Italy to study the artistic treasures.
1860: Moved in to
rooms with his new wife in Great Russell Street, London which were
formerly occupied by Henry Wallis. They became regular guests of
William and Jane Morris at Red House, where
Burne-Jones helped with the interior decorations.
1862: Second trip
to Italy in the company of John Ruskin.
1864: Elected an
Associate of the Water Colour Society.
1867: Moved to The
Grange Fulham, London, where drawing from life became an essential
part of his daily life.
1870: Resigned from
the Water Colour Society after criticism of his painting “Phyllis
and Demophoon”. Scandal surrounded his affair with one of his models
Maria Zambaco.
1877: By now concentrating
on oil painting Burne-Jones was a major exhibitor at the first exhibition
at the Grosvenor Gallery and he achieved sensational popular acclaim.
1878: Was feted
at the Exposition Universelle in France. Became a witness for John
Ruskin in the libel case with James McNeill
Whistler.
1885: Reluctantly
accepted an Associateship of the Royal Academy but exhibited there
only once.
1893: Resigned form
the Royal Academy.
1894: Prime Minister
Gladstone conferred a Baronetcy on him.
Paintings:
- 1884: “King Cophetua
and the Beggar Maid”.
- 1858: “Merlin
and Nimue”.
- 1872: “The Beguiling
of Merlin”.
- 1877: “Days
of Creation”.
- 1867:
“The Mirror of Venus”.
- 1880: “The
Golden Stairs”. (Tate Britain)
- 1880’s:
“The Holy Grail” series of tapestries. (Birmingham Museum
and Art Gallery).
- 1884: “King
Cophetua and the Beggar Maid.” (Tate Britain).
- 1896: Illustrations
for the Kelmscott Press edition of the works of Chaucer.
Marriage:
1860: To Georgiana MacDonald, the sister of an
old school friend.
Date and Place of Death:
17th June 1898, Fulham, London, England.
Age at Death:
64.
Site of Grave:
Churchyard at Rottingdean, Sussex,
near his country home.
Places of Interest:
BEDFORD:
Cecil Higgins Art Gallery, Bedford.
BIRMINGHAM:
St. Phillip’s Cathedral. (Stained Glass Windows).
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square.
BRISTOL:
City Art Gallery.
CHESHIRE:
Astley Cheetham, Stalybridge.
CORNWALL:
Falmouth Art Gallery.
CUMBRIA:
Stained Glass Window at St. Martin's, Brampton.
Tulie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle.
DEVON:
Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery.
HAMPSHIRE:
Southampton City Art Gallery.
LANCASHIRE:
Burnley Town Hall.
LEICESTERSHIRE:
Leicester Museum and Art Gallery.
LONDON:
Leighton House.
Tate Britain, Milbank.
William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow.
MERSEYSIDE:
Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, The Wirral.
Sudley House, Liverpool.
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
NORTHUMBERLAND:
Cambo Wallington, Morpeth.
OXFORDSHIRE:
Buscot Park.
NORFOLK:
Norwich Castle Museum.
SURREY:
Watt's Gallery, Guildford.
SUSSEX:
St Michael and All Angels Church, Brighton
WEST MIDLANDS:
Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton.
YORKSHIRE:
Grave's Art Gallery, Sheffield.
Mappin Art gallery, Sheffield.
