The Vision of Saint Catherine 1878

Edward Burne-Jones created *The Vision of Saint Catherine* in watercolour over pencil on paper. It's a medium that allows for soft, almost dreamlike effects, which Burne-Jones uses to full advantage here. The subtle washes of color give the painting a luminous quality. The artist has built up the forms with careful layering, creating a sense of depth despite the flatness inherent in the medium. Notice how the texture of the paper itself becomes part of the artwork. Watercolour was often seen as a preparatory medium, or one for amateurs. Yet Burne-Jones embraced it fully, elevating it to the status of high art. This speaks to a broader trend in the 19th century, with artists challenging traditional hierarchies of materials and processes, like the Arts and Crafts movement. In foregrounding watercolour, Burne-Jones directs us to consider artmaking as an activity that blurs divisions between the fine and applied arts.