Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt

Study of a Dancing Woman for ‘The Mill’

c.1870–82

Not on display

Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 335 × 252 mm
frame: 555 × 393 × 20 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Presented by Lord Duveen 1924
Reference
N03981

Display caption

The focus of Burne-Jones's painting 'The Mill' (now in the Victoria and Albert Museum) is a group of three women, whose pose recalls the dance of the mythical Three Graces. The elegant drapery study exhibited here is for the central of the three figures, which was modelled by Maria Zambaco. The model for the other drawing may have been Maria Stillman (née Spartali), who was herself an artist. Like Maria Zambaco, she was a member of the rich Greek Ionides family, who were important collectors of contemporary art. Both drawings date from the early 1870s, but 'The Mill' was another painting the artist worked on over a long period, and was only completed in 1882.

Gallery label, September 2004

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