Welcome to the House 1905

Edward Burne-Jones made this watercolour and gouache piece, Welcome to the House, at some point in his career, and you can tell he’s really thinking about the act of creation as a kind of invitation. The colours are muted, almost as if seen through a soft filter, and this adds to the sense of entering a dreamlike space. Look closely, and you’ll notice the texture of the paper coming through, giving the whole piece a tactile quality, like you could almost reach out and touch the angel’s robe. The way the paint is layered, particularly in the angel’s wings, has a luminous effect. There is an intimate gesture between the angel and the child. It speaks to the emotional core of Burne-Jones’ work. Welcome to the House is reminiscent of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's works, especially in its Pre-Raphaelite idealism and focus on emotional intensity. Like Rossetti, Burne-Jones creates a world that feels both familiar and otherworldly, inviting us to contemplate the deeper mysteries of life and art. Art is a door.