Black Archangel 1905

Edward Burne-Jones made this painting of a Black Archangel, probably with watercolor, and maybe some gouache, though it is hard to tell. The process is all on the surface. I love the almost fresco-like texture, like the surface of a very old building. Looking closely, notice the way Burne-Jones handled the angel's wings: each feather is a deliberate, almost laborious mark. It's like he's building up the form, one careful stroke at a time. There is the circle in which he sits, a kind of portal or shield, that could also be read as a mirror that he's trapped in. The color is what holds everything together, especially those glowing reds and blues that contrast with the angel's somber blacks and grays. The Pre-Raphaelites, like Burne-Jones, have this in common with Symbolists like Gustave Moreau: a melancholic sensuality combined with slightly awkward figuration. This is part of what makes them so compelling. It’s a vision of beauty tinged with melancholy, a reminder that even angels have their dark days.