Standing Draped Figure in Profile to Left c. 1888 - 1891

Edward Burne-Jones made this chalk drawing called, Standing Draped Figure in Profile to Left, in England in the late 19th century. This was a time of shifting social structures, which provided the cultural context for the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood to which Burne-Jones belonged. The drawing depicts a figure draped in flowing robes, holding a small coffer. This aesthetic reflects a rejection of industrialization and a yearning for the perceived purity of the medieval era. Burne-Jones, and other artists like him, were deeply critical of the art institutions of their day, which were seen as promoting soulless academic art. They turned instead to earlier artistic traditions, which they considered more spiritual and authentic. To better understand art like this, we can consult historical sources, like letters and exhibition reviews, to reconstruct the cultural and institutional context in which it was made and consumed. This allows us to see how art can challenge the norms of its time.