Perseus, for "Perseus and the Graiae"; verso: blank c. 1877 - 1880

Curator: This is Edward Burne-Jones's pencil drawing "Perseus, for 'Perseus and the Graiae'", now held at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a preparatory sketch, part of a larger series based on the Perseus myth. Editor: He's leaning so far forward, like he's about to spill into our world! It feels incredibly dynamic, even in such a delicate medium. Curator: Absolutely, and that's key. Burne-Jones was deeply engaged with the classical tradition, but he reinterpreted it through a Victorian lens, emphasizing psychological depth. Notice how the pose suggests both determination and weariness? Editor: He's caught mid-act, as the hero he must fight Medusa; there is real tension between his desire to face it and his fear of the consequences. Curator: The Perseus cycle was commissioned by Arthur Balfour for his drawing room, a space meant for intellectual and aesthetic contemplation. Burne-Jones aimed to elevate the domestic sphere with grand narratives. Editor: But it also made the divine mortal, didn't it? Less untouchable gods and goddesses, more everyday struggles in a grand guise. Thank you; I will feel more confident looking at this piece. Curator: Precisely. Burne-Jones was interested in how myth speaks to the human condition, a concept that is easy to relate to in the modern world.