Graphite on paper
Tate Collection
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<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/sir-edward-coley-burne-jones-bt-68" aria-label="More by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt</a>
Image Godhead Fires in Pygmalion and Image
Presented by Lord Duveen 1925
actions: postures and motions
adults
bending forward
classical myths: events, themes
emotions, concepts and ideas
female
fine arts and music
nudes
objects
people
Pygmalion’s statue
religion and belief
sculpture
standing
transformation
universal concepts
woman
<p>Burne-Jones made his first designs for the story of Pygmalion and the Image in 1867. These were part of a group intended to illustrate a lavish edition of William Morris's poem 'The Earthly Paradise'. The myth, which Morris adapted from Ovid, concerns a sculptor whose love for one of his own creations is the means of its coming to life. For his paintings, Burne-Jones compressed the story into four scenes, working from 1868 simultaneously on two versions of the series (the set he exhibited in 1879 is in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery). This drawing is a preliminary study for the third scene, in which the goddess Venus animates the statue.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
paper unique graphite
Study of the Image for ‘The Godhead Fires’ in the ‘Pygmalion and the Image’ Series
support: 265 × 149 mm
Presented by Lord Duveen 1925
<p>Burne-Jones made his first designs for the story of Pygmalion and the Image in 1867. These were part of a group intended to illustrate a lavish edition of William Morris's poem 'The Earthly Paradise'. The myth, which Morris adapted from Ovid, concerns a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/s/sculpture" title="Glossary definition for 'Sculpture'"><span>sculptor</span></a> whose love for one of his own creations is the means of its coming to life. For his <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>paintings</span></a>, Burne-Jones compressed the story into four scenes, working from 1868 simultaneously on two versions of the series (the set he exhibited in 1879 is in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery). This <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/d/drawing" title="Glossary definition for 'Drawing'"><span>drawing</span></a> is a preliminary study for the third scene, in which the goddess Venus animates the statue.</p>
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2004-09-02T00:00:00
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actions: postures and motions adults bending forward classical myths: events, themes emotions, concepts and ideas female fine arts and music nudes objects people Pygmalion’s statue religion and belief sculpture standing transformation universal concepts woman