Three Trumpeting Angels 1869

Edward Burne-Jones created "Three Trumpeting Angels" in stained glass, a medium often found in sacred spaces. Here, angels, divine messengers, hold trumpets, traditionally symbols of announcements or divine intervention. Observe how these figures are depicted in a moment of quiet contemplation rather than joyous proclamation. Their downward gazes and subdued postures reflect a Renaissance melancholia, linking them back to classical ideals of beauty tinged with sorrow. Consider the trumpet itself. Its form echoes the ancient Roman "lituus," a curved horn used in religious ceremonies and military calls, a symbol of authority and communication. Yet, in Burne-Jones's hands, the trumpet seems to possess a psychological weight, an internalized emotion. The angels appear burdened by the message they are about to deliver. This evokes the collective human experience where announcements of fate, good or bad, are received with heavy hearts. Through this poignant image, Burne-Jones taps into our shared emotional memory, a reminder that even divine messengers share our human capacity for contemplation and grief.