Maria Zambaco 1870

This painting of Maria Zambaco was made by Edward Burne-Jones, likely in England. The Pre-Raphaelite style involved meticulous layering of oil paint to achieve rich colors and textures. But more than that, it was rooted in a workshop aesthetic. Look at the folds of Zambaco's lustrous green dress; they're built up with great care to capture the way light falls on fabric. The jewel-like quality of the colors suggests the influence of stained glass and illuminated manuscripts, both painstaking crafts that Burne-Jones admired and incorporated into his paintings. The very act of painting in this style, with its emphasis on detail and controlled execution, elevated the status of the artisan. Indeed, Burne-Jones explicitly connected fine art with the decorative arts. In doing so, he made a statement about the value of labor and the importance of aesthetic experience in everyday life. It’s a powerful testament to the ways in which materials, making, and context contribute to the full meaning of an artwork.