Caricature of a Windblown Woman on the Beach at Rottingdean, Sussex 1893

Edward Burne-Jones rendered this caricature of a windblown woman in Rottingdean, Sussex, in 1893. The dominating visual element is, undoubtedly, the wind itself, personified through the exaggerated billowing of the woman's garments and hat. Consider the motif of wind and its historical presence in art. Recall Botticelli’s "Birth of Venus," where Zephyrus, the West Wind, propels Venus ashore. Here, the wind symbolizes divine breath and the vital force of nature, yet in Burne-Jones's sketch, this force is less ethereal, more a mischievous spirit. The wind's playful disturbance, bordering on chaos, hints at the sublime power of nature, echoing through the ages in art depicting tempests and storms. This rendering touches a primal chord within us. The wind, an invisible yet potent force, stirs deep-seated fears and fascination. Its representation in art, from ancient myths to modern works, mirrors our ongoing dialogue with the natural world, revealing the cyclical recurrence of symbols across time.