Study for 'Chaucer's Dream of Good Women'

In Chaucer's Legend of Good Women the poet has a vision in which Cupid presents him with a series of heroines from classical antiquity who have suffered or even died out of devotion to their lovers. The story was first treated by Burne-Jones in terms of designs for needlework and stained glass in 1863-4. A watercolour followed in 1865 (sold in these Rooms, 25 October 1991, lot 26, illustrated), and a second, larger version was painted in 1871 for the artist's most enthusiastic patron, William Graham (see Oliver Garnett, 'The Letters and Collection of William Graham', Walpole Society, LXII, 2000, p. 287, no. b5 and pl. 118), both of which are in private collections.

The present drawing is for the figure of Chaucer asleep at a fountain, dreaming of Cupid leading the procession of heroines. Burne-Jones' work record (Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge) records the second version, '1871... larger watercolour of Chaucer's Dream of good women, much altered.' The Burne-Jones online catalogue raisonné entry for this work notes that the alterations indicate a re-drawing of the figures and that the present work is one of these redrawn figures. Stylistically the present work also is consistent with this later date.