Lily Study

Maker Edward Burne-Jones (British, 1833 - 1898)

Maker Morris and Company (London, British, 1861 - 1940)

Additional Title(s)

Preparatory Drawing for Tapestry

Collections

William Morris Collection

ClassificationsDRAWINGS

Daten.d.

Mediumgraphite and wash on paper

Dimensionssheet: 20 1/4 × 10 3/4 in. (51.4 × 27.3 cm.) mat: 30 × 24 in. (76.2 × 61 cm.) frame (OL.01000): 31 1/16 × 25 1/16 × 1 1/2 in. (78.9 × 63.7 × 3.8 cm.)

DescriptionLong stem shown with three open lilies and two buds in lower left two open lilies and bud; in lower right, stem with two leaves.

Inscribedrecto upper right: "Less yellow (D.)/ Stigma G./ Petals 6 0/ Stamen D. G."

Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

Status

Not on view

Label TextMorris was a keen botanical draftsman, and he likely communicated this enthusiasm to Dearle, who shared with Morris the responsibility for designing backgrounds of the firm's tapestries. After Burne-Jones's designs had been photographed, Morris and Dearle added the greenery to the photograph using tracings taken from their own carefully prepared botanical studies. The lily appears in many Morris & Co. tapestries, such as the trellised fence in the Adoration, some of the Holy Grail narrative panels, and the firm's tapestry illustrating Chaucer's Romaunt de le Rose, woven 1901-07.

Object number2000.5.432