Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt

Head of a Woman: ?Georgiana Burne-Jones

c.1861

In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 140 × 166 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Bequeathed by J.R. Holliday 1927
Reference
A00099

Display caption

These studies are connected with the triptych of 'The Adoration of the Kings and the Annunciation', which is on display in Room 9 and which was originally painted for St Paul's Church, Brighton. Dissatisfied with his first attempt, Burne-Jones subsequently completed a second version of the composition for the church, which is currently at Brighton Art Gallery. Following established Pre-Raphaelite practice, he used his friends as models for the triptych, but there is some debate as to whether it was Jane Morris or his wife, Georgiana, who posed as the Virgin. Two of the studies appear to show Georgiana, while another depicts the head of one of the female attendants in the 'Adoration'.

Gallery label, August 2004

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