Love among the ruins
after Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones (Birmingham 1833 - London 1898)
Category
Art / Prints
Date
Unknown
Materials
Oak, Paper
Measurements
335 x 520 mm
Order this imageCollection
Gunby Hall Estate, Lincolnshire
NT 636976
Summary
Print, mezzotint, Love among the ruins after Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones (Birmingham 1833 - London 1898) A couple in a ruined architectural setting embracing. He with a mandolin. Trailing briar roses. The title of this painting is taken from Robert Browning’s poem of 1855. However, it is not a direct illustration of the text, but instead a rather more elusive allegory, typical of the artist. The setting was possibly influenced by a fifteenth century Venetian text called the ‘Hypnerotomachia Poliphili’. The romantic story was illustrated with woodcuts, some of which show lovers seated amongst fallen pillars and stones. The lover was thought to be Gaetano Meo, who was a favourite model for artists in the late Victorian period. His love was given the face of Burne-Jones’s great love, Maria Zambaco, (Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti, Mrs Zambaco (1843-1914) and though their affair was then over twenty years in the past, she is still recognisable in this painting. The original oil painting is in the collection at Wightwick Manor (NT).
Provenance
1990, purchased from J Montgomery-Massingberd.
Makers and roles
after Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones (Birmingham 1833 - London 1898) , artist