In Tate Britain
Prints and Drawings Room
View by appointment- Artist
- Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt 1833–1898
- Medium
- Graphite on paper
- Dimensions
- Support: 268 × 153 mm
- Collection
- Tate
- Acquisition
- Presented by Lord Duveen 1925
- Reference
- N04110
Display caption
In 1887 Burne-Jones produced a design depicting the Adoration of the Kings at Christ's Nativity, entitled 'The Star of Bethlehem' The subject was first realised as a large tapestry for Exeter College, Oxford (1890). But while work on the tapestry was still in hand at Merton Abbey, Burne-Jones was commissioned to make a replica in watercolours by the Corporation of Birmingham. Although Burne-Jones's christian faith was shaken (if not altogether lost) while he was a student at Oxford, he retained a profound sense of spirituality. When asked if he believed in the story of the Nativity, as he worked on the watercolour for Birmingham, he professed the view that it was 'too beautiful not to be true'.
Gallery label, August 2004
Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.
You might like
-
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Study of a Seated Woman for ‘The Passing of Venus’
c.1877 -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Study of Seated Figure for ‘The Garden Court’ in the ‘Briar Rose’ Series
c.1873 -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt The Finding of Moses
1879 -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Study of Heads for a Pietà
date not known -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Study for ‘Pluto and Proserpine Listening to the Music of Orpheus’
c.1875 -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Studies for a Nativity
date not known -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt The Nativity
date not known -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt The Nativity
date not known -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt The Passing of Venus
1898 -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Ezekiel and the Boiling Pot
date not known -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Studies of Drapery and the Figure of the Virgin for the ‘Annunciation’ in the Church of St Martin’s-on-the-Hill, Scarborough, Yorkshire
c.1862 -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Study of the Maid for ‘King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid’
1883–4 -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt The Mermaid
1882 -
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Study of the Maid for ‘King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid’
1883 -
William Holman Hunt Study for the Christ Child in the Virgin’s Arms for ‘The Triumph of the Innocents’ (first version)
1876
