Head of Miss Margaret Elizabeth Benson (later Mrs Margaret Drummond, 1856-1941)

The present lot is a sensitive pencil study of Margaret Benson, who became a regular model for Burne-Jones, appearing most notably as Medusa in The Perseus Series. Burne-Jones spotted Margaret in 1877, at the Royal Albert Hall. Upon Burne-Jones’ request, Richard Grosvenor asked the girl's mother for permission to allow her to sit for the artist, in reply her mother said "she has often been called "my Burne-Jones daughter" with quiet understanding of the incident. And so we came to know first Mrs and Miss Benson of Alsford... of Miss Benson also his praise was great, and many were the studies he made from her." (G. Burne-Jones, Memorials of Burne-Jones, 1877, vol. 2, p. 80).

In this study, Burne-Jones places emphasis on detailing Margaret's facial features and her expression, rather than presenting her hair or clothing. In the study's absence of a spacial dimension it is also reminiscent of John Everett Millais', Study for Ophelia, 1852, (Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery).