Dimensions: support: 311 x 387 mm frame: 700 x 575 x 20 mm
Copyright: © The estate of Max Beerbohm | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This drawing by Max Beerbohm, called "Topsy and Ned Jones Settled on the Settle in Red Lion Square," has such a peculiar, dreamlike quality. The figures seem trapped in a little world. What do you make of it? Curator: Trapped, yes, or perhaps perfectly content in their own self-constructed universe. The Pre-Raphaelite echoes in the settle's painted panels, combined with Beerbohm's caricatured style, hints at a gentle satire. Is it artistic refuge, or delightful imprisonment? Editor: Delightful imprisonment… I like that. So, it’s a commentary, then, on the artistic circles of the time? Curator: Possibly. Or maybe it’s a universal reflection on the comfort and constraints of any close relationship. What do you think? Editor: I see it. It's thought-provoking how such a simple drawing can hold such complexity.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/beerbohm-topsy-and-ned-jones-settled-on-the-settle-in-red-lion-square-a01049
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Topsy was William Morris's nickname; 'Ned' is short for 'Edward'. After moving to London in 1856, Morris and Burne-Jones took over the rooms at Red Lion Square that Rossetti had shared with Walter Deverell (one of the original Pre-Raphaelites). There were no furnishings, so Morris designed tables, chairs, cabinets and a settle, which were made by a local carpenter. Rossetti described the results as 'intensely mediaeval' and encouraged Burne-Jones and Morris to decorate the panels with their own paintings; Rossetti also provided designs himself. This growing interest in individual craftsmanship led to the formation of Morris & Co in 1861. Gallery label, September 2004
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