Caricature of May Gaskell in the bath

細節

Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt., A.R.A., R.W.S. (1833-1898)
Caricature of May Gaskell in the bath
inscribed 'I hope this is discreet too/but there is no knowing when once an artist begins on a/journey on this road -/perhaps its best to stop here/and go no further -/And I can't work to-day - it's Wednesday - but that isn't the reason - the reason/is that a storm is coming up and the air is stifling &/thunderous -/There was a rumble seven/miles off & we shall have/a storm./Are you sure you like writing to me so much? Quite/sure. You never will/if it bores you the least bit will you?/Yesterday was one of my unlucky/days, but to-day is better & I/have worked fairly - or read your letter, oh how many times -/& mind to send me the/size of your gloves & tell me/where to get some with 20/buttons. because I don't/know, and am not very skilful in these matters that need so much tact.' (on the reverse); and with address embossed in blue 'THE GRANGE,49, NORTH END ROAD, WEST KENSINGTON, W.' (on the reverse)
pencil and brown ink on letter paper, watermark 'The Westminster Note', unframed
6 7/8 x 8 7/8 in. (17.5 x 22.7 cm.)

來源

Given by the artist to Helen Mary (May) Gaskell, and by descent to the present owner.

展覽

London, Leighton House, 2004, A Profound Secret: Burne-Jones and the Gaskells (no cat.).

注意事項

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

拍品專文

A very characteristic drawing from Burne-Jones's letters to May, intimate, whimsical, and surprisingly modern. Josceline Dimbleby illustrates another example, with even more bubbles, in her book (op.cit., facing p. 147). Yet for all its private quality, the drawing shows Burne-Jones still rehearsing visual ideas he had developed in his pictures. The drapery recalls the curtains drawn across the middle distance in some of the Briar Rose paintings (finished 1890), and lion-heads from which water gushes had appeared in Cupid and Psyche subjects as early as the 1860s.