Paris with Golden Apple in Left Hand, for the Troy Triptych (sketchbook #2638) c. 1873 - 1877

Curator: This charcoal drawing presents an almost ethereal image of Paris, rendered by Edward Burne-Jones between 1873 and 1877, as a study for his larger Troy Triptych. Notice the apple he holds; it's the catalyst for so much tragedy. Editor: Immediately, I see this contemplative figure caught in a moment of decision. The soft graphite seems to imbue him with vulnerability. He is a beautiful, almost heartbreakingly human representation. Curator: Absolutely. The golden apple, symbol of discord, isn't just an object here; it's a heavy burden. Burne-Jones really delves into the psychological weight of that fateful choice. Editor: Right, and it's important to consider the Pre-Raphaelite context. They were reimagining classical mythology through a Victorian lens. We are faced here with their fascination with beauty and fatalism, reflecting a kind of melancholic understanding of the preordained narratives which decide so many aspects of our society and the inevitability of power relations. Curator: That gaze, averted and laden with knowing, speaks volumes. Paris, often portrayed as a decisive figure of agency in this story, here is shown at a crucial and complicated point when individual and collective interests become difficult to disentangle from each other. Editor: Indeed. His nakedness makes the stakes that much higher, revealing his status as the figure onto whom competing societal expectations, represented by goddesses no less, come crashing down. He embodies power but appears devoid of personal authority. It's such a fascinating power dynamic presented on a visual plain. Curator: You see in his stance this mixture of defiance and resignation to this higher set of obligations to a story much older than he is. Editor: Ultimately, it's an image that haunts me. Burne-Jones offers more than just a drawing of Paris; he encapsulates the weighty choices humanity is often confronted with when asked to represent, embody and enforce a legacy. It makes me think, where is Paris’ free will and ability to shape his destiny? Curator: A chilling premonition rendered with poignant grace. Editor: A chilling premonition is right.