Artwork
Study of a Female Figure
Study of a Female Figure is a drawing by the Impressionist artist Edward Burne-Jones. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1885 by English artist Edward Burne‑Jones, this drawing depicts a nude female figure seen from behind, her head turned to glance over her shoulder. The work is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies Burne‑Jones’s sustained interest in the human form, a focus he refined throughout his career.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a solitary woman in a moment of quiet introspection. Her turned posture and the gentle tilt of her head suggest a fleeting, contemplative gesture, inviting viewers to consider the interior life of the figure rather than narrative action.
Technique & Style
Burne‑Jones employs delicate, flowing lines to outline the figure, with subtle gradations of shading that model the contours of the body and hair. The soft rendering emphasizes the tactile quality of skin and strands of hair, reflecting the artist’s mature approach to figure drawing that balances precision with lyrical softness.
History & Provenance
The drawing was produced during a period when Burne‑Jones, already associated with the Pre‑Raphaelites, was developing a more personal visual language. After changing hands through private collections, it entered the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains accessible to the public as part of the museum’s holdings of 19th‑century British art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet (; 28 August 1833 – 17 June 1898) was an English painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's style and subject matter.
