A Seated Fat Lady 1861 - 1871

Edward Burne-Jones created this pen and ink drawing, titled "A Seated Fat Lady," on blue paper. Burne-Jones lived during an era of strict Victorian ideals, where the female body was often idealized and sexualized within very narrow parameters. Here, however, we see a different representation. The woman is drawn with honesty. Her form, though ample, is rendered without either mockery or idealization. There's a softness in the lines, a gentle acknowledgment of her physical presence, and an implication of the comfort she finds in her own skin. The drawing might be seen as a quiet act of rebellion. Burne-Jones seems to gently push back against the restrictive expectations of his time, suggesting a broader, more compassionate view of beauty and the human form. It stands as an intimate reflection on identity, body image, and the courage to exist outside conventional norms.