Putto Study, for the Lid of the Graham Family Piano

Art Historical Context

Sir Edward Burne-Jones created this delicate study around 1879 as part of a larger decorative project for the Graham family piano. A leading figure in the Pre-Rhaelite circle and the emerging Aesthetic Movement, Burne-Jones often blended fine art with functional objects, designing everything from tapestries to furniture. The putto—a cherubic figure drawn from classical and Renaissance traditions—would have adorned the instrument’s lid, transforming a household item into a work of art that reflected the Victorian fascination with beauty in everyday life. Executed in white and reddish-brown synthetic crayons on brown paper, the drawing showcases Burne-Jones’s skillful use of toned grounds to create soft modeling and luminous highlights. This medium allowed him to explore form and light with great subtlety, capturing the rounded contours and gentle expression of the figure in preparation for the final painted surface. Such studies reveal the artist’s meticulous process and his commitment to integrating painting, design, and craftsmanship. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2020 as a gift from Elisa Korb, this intimate work offers visitors a glimpse into Burne-Jones’s creative practice and the rich intersection of art and domestic design in the late nineteenth century.

About the Artist

Sir Edward Burne-Jones · 1833–1898

Edward Coley Burne-Jones was born on 28 August 1833 in Birmingham, the son of a frame-maker, and lost his mother within a week of his birth. He attended King Edward VI Grammar School and the Birmingham School of Art before proceeding to Exeter College, Oxford, in 1852, intending to study theology. At Oxford he formed a lifelong friendship with William Morris, and the two young men became intoxicat...