A red crayon and graphite drawing of six seated women. Each performs an action to mark the time of day: awaken, wash, weave, wine, play the lyre, and sleep.

Edward Burne-Jones

The Hours

Maker

Edward Burne-Jones (British, 1833-1898)

Title

The Hours

Year

1865

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

chalk

Dimensions

45.7 x 77.5 cm (18 x 30 1/2 inches) within mat

Signature / Inscription / Marks

Signed, LL: "E. Burne-Jones, 1865"

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of the Estate of Mrs. Gustav Radeke

Object Number

31.281

Type

Exhibition History

Drawing Closer
Four Hundred Years of Drawing from the RISD Museum
Mar 12, 2022 – Sep 04, 2022

Label copy

Six female figures in classical robes sit next to each other in a dreamlike atmosphere. Each is engaged in an activity representing the different times and activities of day, from waking to sleep. While Edward Burne-Jones probably conceived this large drawing as a finished independent work, he also elaborated on the composition in a painting almost 20 years later. The extremely delicate handling of the blended chalks, combined with the more sharply defined symbolic objects, increases the visionary quality of this work.

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Edward Burne-Jones (British, 1833-1898)
The Hours, 1865
Red and black chalk on thick, rough-textured wove paper
45.7 x 77.5 cm (18 x 30 1/2 inches) within mat
Gift of the Estate of Mrs. Gustav Radeke 31.281

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