Head Study of Maria Zambaco (The Wine of Circe) 

Edward Burne-Jones drew this study of Maria Zambaco, a muse and model, with red chalk in England. Zambaco, a member of the Anglo-Greek community in London, was not only an artist herself but also a figure who challenged Victorian social norms around female sexuality and artistic expression. Burne-Jones, associated with the Aesthetic movement, often depicted women in classical or mythological roles. This study, related to his painting 'The Wine of Circe,' shows Zambaco as a powerful, almost dangerous figure. It reflects a late 19th-century fascination with femme fatales, who disrupted conventional ideas about femininity and domesticity. To understand the image fully, we might explore archives of letters and exhibition reviews, to examine the reception of Burne-Jones's work. The study and the final painting, offer insight into the complex interplay between art, gender, and societal expectations during this period.