Draped Male Figure (sketchbook #2614) c. 1873 - 1877

Edward Burne-Jones made this pencil drawing of a Draped Male Figure, now at the Art Institute of Chicago, sometime during his career as part of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in Victorian England. Burne-Jones, along with other artists of his time, were steeped in historical and mythological narratives. Here, he uses drapery to partially obscure the male form, perhaps to invite the viewer to imagine the sensuality that lies beneath, while also adhering to the more conservative moral codes of the period. Consider the complexities around the male form during the Victorian era, where ideals of masculinity often clashed with the realities of industrial society and evolving gender roles. This drawing, with its delicate rendering and classical allusions, invites us to reflect on the tensions between desire, repression, and artistic expression in a time of profound social change. It leaves me wondering, what is being hidden, and what is being revealed?