Lady Picking Flowers c. 1890

Curator: Here we have "Lady Picking Flowers", a pen and ink drawing crafted circa 1890 by Edward Burne-Jones. The figure is beautifully rendered! Editor: It possesses such delicate fragility, doesn't it? The lines are so fine, and the figure seems almost ethereal amidst that dense field. Curator: Burne-Jones was deeply involved in the Arts and Crafts movement. Consider the labour involved, the handcrafted nature of the work itself standing in opposition to industrialized modes of production. What do you see here regarding the artist's influences? Editor: The echoes of the Pre-Raphaelites, of course, resonate strongly within the composition. And the way the figure seems lost in her activity reminds me of classical allegories and perhaps a longing for a pre-industrial pastoral life which influenced social and political commentary within art institutions. Curator: Indeed! The act of "picking flowers" is symbolic in itself – the selection and gathering of raw materials, if you will. What can this piece reveal to us about gendered labour at the time? Editor: It brings up the assigned social role of women during the late 19th century. Perhaps, picking flowers, like other activities associated with women, represents the gentle appreciation of beauty found within nature. The illustration technique allowed its distribution among the art journals contributing to democratizing art imagery. Curator: What intrigues me are the flowers depicted here. This kind of precise rendering feels at odds with other choices by Burne-Jones, perhaps intentionally so. Editor: The level of precision speaks to Burne-Jones' social context as an artist and how these pieces reached broader audiences through exhibitions and journals that sought art experiences as vehicles of instruction and social refinement. Curator: What is the significance of producing the artwork via drawing, rather than painting? Editor: Perhaps to elevate drawing's status among art admirers, granting visibility to a labor that's been relegated to craft, which challenges notions of fine art and craft-making distinctions Curator: I’ve really enjoyed the perspectives you have highlighted with respect to the context of Burne-Jones' drawing! Editor: I find it quite rewarding to consider his artistry through a material and sociohistorical lens, so, yes, very stimulating.