Artwork
La Belle au bois dormant
La Belle au bois dormant is a print by the Impressionist artist Edward Coley, Sir Burne-Jones. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Edward Burne‑Jones’s 1894 collotype, titled La Belle au bois dormant, is a black‑and‑white printed poster produced on wove paper. Executed in the collotype process, the work presents typographic information rather than illustrative imagery, reflecting the design conventions of late‑19th‑century theatrical advertising.
Subject & Meaning
The poster advertises a stage production of La Belle au Bois Dormant, a fairy‑tale drama derived from the Sleeping Beauty narrative. By foregrounding the play’s title, cast, writers, composer, and a Shakespearean quotation, the design emphasizes the literary and musical dimensions of the performance.
Technique & Style
Created with a collotype technique, the image consists of fine, continuous tones reproduced in black ink on a smooth wove paper surface. The layout relies on a clear, sans‑serif typeface with bold headings, punctuated by modest decorative lines, illustrating the period’s preference for legibility and restrained ornamentation in promotional material.
History & Provenance
Issued in 1894, the poster was likely distributed to public venues to attract audiences to the production. As a work by Sir Edward Burne‑Jones, it forms part of his lesser‑known output in graphic design and commercial printing, complementing his more widely recognized fine‑art practice.
Context
During the 1890s, theatrical posters often combined functional information with modest decorative elements, reflecting the rise of mass‑produced advertising. Burne‑Jones’s involvement aligns with the era’s crossover between fine artists and commercial commissions, especially in the realm of cultural events such as opera and drama.
Artist & collection
