Days of Creation, The 1st Day 1876

Edward Burne-Jones painted *Days of Creation, The 1st Day* using watercolor and gouache during the late 19th century, a period marked by Victorian ideals and growing social change. Here, we see a winged angel cradling a dark, embryonic globe. Consider how Burne-Jones, deeply involved in the Aesthetic movement, often challenged conventional representations of women, imbuing his figures with an androgynous quality. The angel, with its soulful gaze, invites contemplation, embodying both strength and vulnerability. Burne-Jones was commissioned to design stained-glass windows for cathedrals, and this influenced his paintings. The rich colors and symbolic imagery may allude to the spiritual and intellectual climate of the time, when many artists sought to reconcile faith with modernity. The painting reflects a yearning for beauty and meaning, which speaks to our human desire to find order and purpose in a rapidly changing world.