 |
 |
Britain Unlimited covers 250 Great British people and what made them famous
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:
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.
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.
WEST MIDLANDS:
Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton.
YORKSHIRE:
Grave's Art Gallery, Sheffield.
Mappin Art gallery, Sheffield.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.
