Blank; verso: Trees c. 19th century

Curator: This small graphite drawing, attributed to Edward Burne-Jones, gives us a glimpse into the artist's process—it's titled "Blank; verso: Trees" and resides in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: There's a haunting sparseness to it, like a half-remembered dream of a forest. The starkness evokes a feeling of solitude, even vulnerability. Curator: Yes, the skeletal trees certainly contribute to that feeling. Notice how the trunks are defined by sharp, almost jagged lines, a stark contrast to the soft rendering of the ground. It reminds me of ancient symbols of resilience in winter. Editor: The sparseness focuses the viewer's attention on the essential forms, hinting at both the fragility and the enduring strength of nature. Burne-Jones captured something really elemental here, don't you think? Curator: I do. It’s as if he’s stripped away all the excess, revealing the very bones of the landscape—and perhaps, something of himself as well. Editor: A tiny drawing, but full of immense feeling.