Turbaned Head; verso: blank page c. 19th century

Curator: Edward Burne-Jones' "Turbaned Head" at the Harvard Art Museums offers us a glimpse into the artist's process. The pencil work is delicate, almost reverent. Editor: The texture of the cloth is immediately striking; you can feel the weight of the fabric even in this small drawing. What kind of paper did he use, do you think? Curator: It's fascinating how the turban, a symbol often associated with the East, becomes softened, almost romanticized, within Burne-Jones' Pre-Raphaelite vision. The image is a fragment of something far grander, an echo of imagined stories. Editor: I wonder about the social context, about Burne-Jones' access to such fabrics and models, and the cultural exchange, however imbalanced, that made this image possible. Curator: Indeed. The turban itself, regardless of accuracy, carries the weight of cultural projection and artistic interpretation across time. Editor: It makes you think about the labor and resources involved, the unseen hands that spun the thread and wove the cloth. Curator: It’s a thoughtful reminder of the many layers inherent in a simple sketch. Editor: Absolutely, it's more than just a drawing; it's a record of cultural interplay and the artist's hand.