Reflection of Head, study for Mirror of Venus c. 1873 - 1877

This is Edward Burne-Jones’s study for Mirror of Venus, a drawing rendered in graphite. Here we see Venus’s face reflected, eyes closed in introspection. This act of beholding oneself through a mirror has ancient roots. Consider the Greek myth of Narcissus, who, upon seeing his reflection, was consumed by self-love, leading to his demise. The mirror, then, becomes a symbol of vanity, but also of profound self-awareness. This motif appears in numerous Renaissance paintings. Think of Titian’s Venus with a Mirror. The act of gazing into a mirror transcends mere observation; it invites contemplation of mortality, beauty, and truth. The cyclical nature of symbols reveals how archetypes resurface, transformed yet intrinsically linked to our collective psyche. Each reflection opens a portal through history, mirroring not just an image, but an echo of human experience.