Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones ARA RWS

1833 - 1898

One of the great figures of 19th-century British art, described as the "Last Pre-Raphaelite" in the title of Fiona MacCarthy's biography, Burne-Jones was one of the relatively few artists from these shores who cut through as a major influence on the international stage, becoming a major figure of late 19th century art. Despite the historicising romance of his work, Burne-Jones, like Turner and Constable before him, influenced movements in art both abroad and that followed him, notably Symbolism and Picasso's early work. Born in Birmingham and moving to London, Burne-Jones worked with William Morris as a founding partner of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., becoming a highly successful designer in many media, including stained glass, furniture, ceramic tiles and textiles. His early work was strongly influenced by Rossetti, later developing an individual style that made him the star genius of the Aesthetic Movement.