Edward Burne-Jones

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.