Wall Tryst 1905

Edward Burne-Jones made this drawing, *Wall Tryst*, using delicate strokes of watercolour pencil and light touches of gouache. Imagine him there, hunched over a table, rendering each brick with patient strokes. The colours, muted greens and earthy browns, evoke a sense of quiet introspection. See how the woman leans against the wall, her face a mask of longing or anticipation. What is she waiting for? It feels as though Burne-Jones wants us to feel the weight of the wall against her, a barrier both physical and emotional. The wall, the woman, the tree – all rendered with such precision and care. His approach to painting feels almost like a form of meditation. Painters are always looking and learning from each other, aren’t they? Passing on ideas and approaches across the ages. Burne-Jones here reminds me of Rossetti, a little bit, and I wonder who he was looking at when he made this?