Portret van Miss Ada Hall 1862

Edward Burne-Jones rendered this small pencil drawing titled "Portret van Miss Ada Hall." The immediate visual experience is one of quiet repose. The subject's closed eyes and softly rendered features evoke a sense of tranquility. Burne-Jones’s delicate use of line and shading models form and texture. The soft shading around Ada's cheekbone, and the faint hatching defining the pillow are effective. But the drawing isn't just about capturing a likeness, it's about an idea. The pose, with its emphasis on profile and serene facial expression, aligns the sitter with classical ideals of beauty. The Pre-Raphaelites, including Burne-Jones, rejected the industrial age, drawing inspiration from medieval and early Renaissance art. The use of pencil adds to the drawing's sense of intimacy and immediacy, and the unfinished quality gives it a modern edge. The artwork operates within a historical and cultural discourse about beauty, representation, and the role of art in society. It invites us to contemplate not just the subject's likeness, but also the values and ideals that Burne-Jones sought to embody in his work. This invites an ongoing re-interpretation of its meaning and significance.