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Watercolour - The Perseus Series - Study of Perseus in Armour for The Finding of Medusa

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© Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery

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Basic Information

Accession Number:1898P46
Collection:Fine Art Prints and Drawings
Date:1881 - 1881

Maker Information

Artist:Sir Edward Burne-Jones - View biography for Sir Edward Burne-Jones

Notes

This is a preparatory study for 'The Finding of Medusa' from 'The Perseus Series', a cycle commissioned in 1875 by Arthur Balfour for the music room of his London house at 4 Carlton Gardens.

The subject comes from 'The Doom of King Acrisius', a poem by William Morris. This study shows Perseus about to slay the Gorgon Medusa. He looks into a mirror to avoid her fatal gaze.

This study of Perseus in armour was specifically designed for 'The Finding of Medusa' for the Perseus Series (Series I in the Stattsgalerie, Stuttgart; Series II in the Southampton City Art Gallery), as well as two compositional studies (both in New York: one in the Pierpont Morgan Library, the other in a Private Collection).

Burne-Jones made two finished full length studies of Perseus in armour for 'The Finding of Medusa', this one in Birmingham's collections, and a similar study (although not used) now in the Fitzwilliam, Cambridge.

An additional full length study of Perseus in armour exists, used for 'Perseus & Atlas' (now in a Private Collection; see Phillips,18 April 1988, Lot 103). Many studies exist for various armour-plated body parts for the series, in collections at the Courtauld Institute, London (head & helmet), Art Institute of Chicago (study for 'Doom Fulfilled'), and the Paul Mellon Foundation (armour studies).

The most comprehensive catalogue of all things related to the 'Perseus Series' is the Kurt Locher publication for the Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart: 'Der Perseus Zyklus von Edward Burne-Jones'.

Presented by an anonymous donor, 1898.

Further Information

Production Period:19th century
School/Style:Armour Perseus
Medium:Watercolour, bodycolour, silver medium and chalk on brown/grey paper.
Material(s):Paper

Associated Places

Dimensions

Height:376 mm
Width:263 mm