The Days of Creation: The Fifth Day 1870 - 1876

Editor: "The Days of Creation: The Fifth Day," by Edward Burne-Jones, held at the Harvard Art Museums…it's stunning. The figures are so ethereal. What's striking about it to you? Curator: Consider the Victorian era's fascination with medievalism and spiritualism. How might this image reflect those societal interests and anxieties about industrialization and faith? Notice how the figures are presented. Editor: It feels like a rejection of the industrial world, doesn’t it? Curator: Precisely! The Pre-Raphaelites, including Burne-Jones, aimed to critique the effects of modernity through art. They wanted to reimagine the purpose of art, didn't they? Editor: I never thought about it that way before. Thank you.