Landscape (continues on page 39 verso); verso: Birch Trees and Landscape c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Edward Burne-Jones's "Landscape", a pencil drawing on paper. It's a delicate sketch, almost ethereal in its lightness. What can you tell me about its historical context? Curator: Considering Burne-Jones's Pre-Raphaelite leanings, it's fascinating to see such an unadorned landscape. This sketch, likely from a personal sketchbook, reveals the artist engaging with the natural world outside the more formal constraints of his painted allegories and mythologies. How might this inform our view of his larger artistic project? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but seeing this as a departure from his better known works does offer a fresh perspective. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, it suggests that even within highly stylized movements, artists often engage with the world in varied and complex ways.