Study for Masque of Cupid 

Editor: Immediately striking is the contrast. A stark triptych of emotive faces seemingly caught mid-breath in graphite and pencil, light as air. Curator: Indeed. This drawing, referred to as "Study for Masque of Cupid" by Edward Burne-Jones, presents a fascinating look into the artist's process, his exploration of form. Observe the almost sculptural rendering achieved through meticulous hatching and tonal gradations. Editor: It's hard not to focus on the expressions; they pull you right in. Laughter on the left, sadness centrally, anger to the right— a visual representation of shifting emotions across the faces. There is no date that is assigned for its completion, but they speak to emotional currents beyond any specific moment. Curator: I am drawn to the technique. The medium itself is telling; the preparatory nature suggests the generative and transient essence of each contour—notice how they materialize and dematerialize almost on contact. Look closer to discover its delicate tonal variation that is applied with such sensitivity. Editor: Considering "Cupid," do you think Burne-Jones wanted to explore Cupid’s emotional consequence? Or do these simply signify aspects of love itself, each portrait encapsulating pleasure, lament, or rage? Curator: Functionally, this sketch represents Burne-Jones wrestling with line and shadow. If we consider Pre-Raphaelite art more broadly, it's always invested in the materiality of representation and also interested in rendering different levels of human affect. It makes for the work's peculiar intensity. Editor: A curious emotional journey indeed. There’s a timeless quality. It lingers with its directness. Curator: Agreed. The structural clarity paired with its incomplete nature provides fertile ground for further explorations into what could be beyond the border line.