GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Based loosely on Chaucer's poem The Roumant (Romance) of the Rose, this painting reflects the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Burne-Jones’s fascination with medieval subjects. It is the first canvas in a trilogy composed of the monumental Love and the Pilgrim (1896–97, Tate Gallery, London) and Heart of the Rose (1889, private collection). In the present picture, the Pilgrim meets Idleness personified as a beguiling maiden. Having succeeded in escaping that temptation, the Pilgrim is then led by Love through a briar thicket, the scene depicted in the Tate Gallery painting. The third moment in the narrative is illustrated in Heart of the Rose, where a winged figure leads the Pilgrim to the Rose, a symbol of love personified as a beautiful woman within a rose bush.
Excerpt from
Nicole Myers, DMA label text, 2017.
NOTES
Created in 1884
Checked Piction
Dorothy Kosinski, "The Pilgrim at the Gate of Idleness", in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection, ed. Suzanne Kotz (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art, 1997), 110.
This composition is a masterwork by the preeminent British Victorian painter, Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones. It is loosely based on Chaucer's poem, Romance of the Rose, which follows a pilgrim's allegorical search for virtue. Reflecting the artist's general fascination with medieval themes, the painting forms a trilogy, along with the monumental Love Leading the Pilgrim (Tate Gallery, London) and Heart of the Rose (private collection). In the Dallas picture, the pilgrim meets Idleness personified as a beguiling maiden. After escaping that temptation, the pilgrim is led by Love through a briar thicket, the scene depicted in the Tate painting. The third moment in the narrative depicts a winged figure leading the pilgrim to the rose.
The painting exemplifies Burne-Jones's literary romanticism, which is typified by an exaggerated stylization of gesture, expressive poses, and a strangely ascesticized or androgynous sensualism. The linear precision reveals the artist's admiration of the masters of the Italian Renaissance, including Botticelli. The stylistic refinement, aura of mystery, and sense of psychological tension which characterize this painting had a profound impact on the upcoming generation of symbolist artists.
Burne-Jones was a close friend of William Morris, the founder of the arts and crafts movement. This composition was originally conceived in collaboration with Morris as the subject of an embroidered wall-hanging, and can be considered an important example of the arts and crafts ideal of the synthesis of painting, architecture, and design. Burne-Jones produced the same subjects and themes again as illustration for an 1896 edition of Chaucer published by Morris's Kelmscott Press, the artist's final collaboration with Morris, who died later that year.
Based loosely on Chaucer's "Roumant de la Rose," this painting reflects the artist's Pre-Raphaelite fascination with medieval themes. The painting forms a trilogy, along with the monumental "Love Leading the Pilgrim" at the Tate Gallery in London and "Heart of the Rose," in a private collection. In the Dallas picture, the Pilgrim meets Idleness personified as a beguiling maiden. Having succeeded in escaping that temptation, the Pilgrim is led by love through a briar thicket, depicted in the Tate Gallery painting. The third moment in the narrative is depicted in "Heart of the Rose," where a winged figure leads the Pilgrim to the Rose, personified as a beautiful woman within a rose bush.
Heather MacDonald, DMA label text, October 2010
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Burne-Jones, Edward (British, 1833-1898)
Cultures
Geography
Place of origin: London (England): TGN: 7011781
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
AUDIO ASSETS
13311724: UMO Burne-Jones, Oxford and the Pre-Raphaelites
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- Tate, London~View the second painting from the trilogy, Love and the Pilgrim.
- The Victorian Web~View the third painting from the trilogy, The Heart of the Rose.
- Project Gutenberg~Read "The Romaunt of the Rose" and other poems by Chaucer.
- National Gallery of Victoria~Learn more about the portraiture of Sir Edward Burne-Jones.
- National Portrait Gallery, London~View portraits and photographs of the artist.
- Khan Academy~Watch this video about one of Burne-Jones's most famous works, The Golden Stairs, from Khan Academy.
- Tate, London~Learn more about the artist and his work.
- Pre-Raphaelite Online Resouce, Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery~Read a biography of the artist.
- Tate, London~Learn more about the Pre-Raphaelites.
- Tate, London~Explore the Pre-Raphaelite movement with children using this resource from the Tate.
- Khan Academy~Read "A Beginner's Guide to the Pre-Raphaelites" from Khan Academy.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
- The authorship of the poem The Romaunt of the Rose has long been the subject of debate. While Chaucer translated it from the original French (Le Roman de la Rose) and made parts of it his own, it was originally written by Guillaume de Lorris c. 1230 and then added to soon after by Jean de Meun.
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General Description
Based loosely on Chaucer's poem The Roumant (Romance) of the Rose, this painting reflects the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Burne-Jones’s fascination with medieval subjects. It is the first canvas in a trilogy composed of the monumental Love and the Pilgrim (1896–97, Tate Gallery, London) and Heart of the Rose (1889, private collection). In the present picture, the Pilgrim meets Idleness personified as a beguiling maiden. Having succeeded in escaping that temptation, the Pilgrim is then led by Love through a briar thicket, the scene depicted in the Tate Gallery painting. The third moment in the narrative is illustrated in Heart of the Rose, where a winged figure leads the Pilgrim to the Rose, a symbol of love personified as a beautiful woman within a rose bush.
Excerpt from
Nicole Myers, DMA label text, 2017.
Fun Facts
- The authorship of the poem The Romaunt of the Rose has long been the subject of debate. While Chaucer translated it from the original French (Le Roman de la Rose) and made parts of it his own, it was originally written by Guillaume de Lorris c. 1230 and then added to soon after by Jean de Meun.
Archival Resources
Web Resources
- Tate, London~View the second painting from the trilogy, Love and the Pilgrim.
- The Victorian Web~View the third painting from the trilogy, The Heart of the Rose.
- Project Gutenberg~Read "The Romaunt of the Rose" and other poems by Chaucer.
- National Gallery of Victoria~Learn more about the portraiture of Sir Edward Burne-Jones.
- National Portrait Gallery, London~View portraits and photographs of the artist.
- Khan Academy~Watch this video about one of Burne-Jones's most famous works, The Golden Stairs, from Khan Academy.
- Tate, London~Learn more about the artist and his work.
- Pre-Raphaelite Online Resouce, Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery~Read a biography of the artist.
- Tate, London~Learn more about the Pre-Raphaelites.
- Tate, London~Explore the Pre-Raphaelite movement with children using this resource from the Tate.
- Khan Academy~Read "A Beginner's Guide to the Pre-Raphaelites" from Khan Academy.
Notes
Created in 1884
Checked Piction
Dorothy Kosinski, "The Pilgrim at the Gate of Idleness", in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection, ed. Suzanne Kotz (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art, 1997), 110.
This composition is a masterwork by the preeminent British Victorian painter, Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones. It is loosely based on Chaucer's poem, Romance of the Rose, which follows a pilgrim's allegorical search for virtue. Reflecting the artist's general fascination with medieval themes, the painting forms a trilogy, along with the monumental Love Leading the Pilgrim (Tate Gallery, London) and Heart of the Rose (private collection). In the Dallas picture, the pilgrim meets Idleness personified as a beguiling maiden. After escaping that temptation, the pilgrim is led by Love through a briar thicket, the scene depicted in the Tate painting. The third moment in the narrative depicts a winged figure leading the pilgrim to the rose.
The painting exemplifies Burne-Jones's literary romanticism, which is typified by an exaggerated stylization of gesture, expressive poses, and a strangely ascesticized or androgynous sensualism. The linear precision reveals the artist's admiration of the masters of the Italian Renaissance, including Botticelli. The stylistic refinement, aura of mystery, and sense of psychological tension which characterize this painting had a profound impact on the upcoming generation of symbolist artists.
Burne-Jones was a close friend of William Morris, the founder of the arts and crafts movement. This composition was originally conceived in collaboration with Morris as the subject of an embroidered wall-hanging, and can be considered an important example of the arts and crafts ideal of the synthesis of painting, architecture, and design. Burne-Jones produced the same subjects and themes again as illustration for an 1896 edition of Chaucer published by Morris's Kelmscott Press, the artist's final collaboration with Morris, who died later that year.
Based loosely on Chaucer's "Roumant de la Rose," this painting reflects the artist's Pre-Raphaelite fascination with medieval themes. The painting forms a trilogy, along with the monumental "Love Leading the Pilgrim" at the Tate Gallery in London and "Heart of the Rose," in a private collection. In the Dallas picture, the Pilgrim meets Idleness personified as a beguiling maiden. Having succeeded in escaping that temptation, the Pilgrim is led by love through a briar thicket, depicted in the Tate Gallery painting. The third moment in the narrative is depicted in "Heart of the Rose," where a winged figure leads the Pilgrim to the Rose, personified as a beautiful woman within a rose bush.
Heather MacDonald, DMA label text, October 2010
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Burne-Jones, Edward (British, 1833-1898)
Cultures
Geography
Place of origin: London (England): TGN: 7011781
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
AUDIO ASSETS
13311724: UMO Burne-Jones, Oxford and the Pre-Raphaelites
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
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