Study of William Morris on his Death-Bed 1896

Curator: This is Charles Fairfax Murray's "Study of William Morris on his Death-Bed." It's undated but thought to have been made on the 4th of October, 1896, the day after Morris died. Editor: The lightness of the pencil work gives it a really dreamlike quality, like he's just drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Curator: It's hauntingly intimate. Murray, a Pre-Raphaelite artist himself, captures Morris in a moment of profound stillness. The sketch is so immediate, a poignant memento mori. Editor: I wonder what Murray was thinking, sketching a friend like this. It feels almost invasive, yet tender. A complicated mix of grief and artistic impulse, perhaps? Curator: The Pre-Raphaelites were fascinated with mortality, often romanticizing death. But here, the emphasis is on quiet observation. He’s not a romantic hero, just a man at peace. Editor: It really makes you consider the weight of mortality and how we choose to depict it. Curator: Indeed, it's a powerful reminder of our shared human fate. Editor: I think you're right. It really puts everything in perspective.