The Golden Stairs
| The Golden Stairs | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Edward Burne-Jones |
| Year | 1880 |
| Medium | Oil on panel |
| Dimensions | 269.2 cm × 116.8 cm (106.0 in × 46.0 in) |
| Location | Tate Britain, London |
The Golden Stairs is one of the best-known paintings by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones. It began in 1876 and was exhibited at the Grosvenor Gallery in 1880.[1][2]
Unlike many of Burne-Jones's works, The Golden Stairs is not based on a literary source. It has been called
The Golden Stairs was one of many paintings Burne-Jones sketched out in 1872 following a trip to Italy. He began work on the canvas in 1876 and finished it in great haste in April 1880, just days before the Grosvenor Gallery exhibition was to open. Stephens found in the painting, echoes of the work of Piero della Francesca, whose frescoes Burne-Jones had seen and copied in 1871.[5] The figures of the musicians were drawn from professional models, but the heads are young women of Burne-Jones's circle.[1] Some identifications have been made as follows.
His daughter Margaret is fourth from top, holding a trumpet.
The central portion of the staircase is an error in
The painting was purchased by Cyril Flower (1843–1907), later Lord Battersea, a politician and art patron, and was bequeathed by him to the Tate Gallery, where it remains.[1][2]
Studies
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Study of the head of a girl, 1879 -
Study of two girls -
Study of a musician
See also
References
Notes
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Smarthistory - The Golden Stairs[4] |
- ^ a b c d Wildman and Christian (1998), pp. 246–249
- ^ a b Wood (1997), pp. 88–89
- ^ Wood (1997), p. 88
- ^ a b "The Golden Stairs". Smarthistory at Khan Academy. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
- ^ a b Wildman and Christian (1998), p. 247
- ^ Quoted in Wood (1997), p. 88
- ^ a b MacCarthy (2011), p. 102 (caption to colour plate VI)
- ^ Marcus (1975), p. 54.
- ^ MacCarthy (2011), p. 277
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-0-571-22861-4.
- Marcus, Penelope, ed. (1975). Burne-Jones: The paintings, graphic and decorative work of Sir Edward Burne-Jones 1833–98. London: ISBN 0-7287-0073-5.
- Wood, Christopher (1997). Burne-Jones. Phoenix Illustrated. ISBN 9780753807279.
- Wildman, Stephen; Christian, John (1998). Edward Burne-Jones: Victorian Artist-Dreamer. New York: ISBN 0-87099-859-5.