SIR EDWARD COLEY BURNE-JONES, BT., A.R.A., R.W.S. | STUDY FOR THE VALIANT KNIGHT

By descent to the artist's daughter, Margaret Mackail, by whom sold Christie's, London, 3 December 1954, lot 28 to 'Wilson';

Gallery 1020, New York where purchased by Seymour Stein

This large drawing appears to be an early design for one of the famous Holy Grail Tapestries designed for Stanmore Hall in Middlesex, commissioned in 1888 and made in the early 1890s. The format of this drawing is entirely contrary to the finished tapestry which depicts the knights kneeling at the Chapel of the Holy Ghost rather than on horseback. The change in orientation of the composition seems to have been made to allow the composition to occupy the entire back wall of the dining room.

‘And of the hundred and fifty that went to the Quest, three only are chosen and may set foot on that shore, Bors, Percival, and Galahad. Of these Bors and Percival may see the Grail afar off – three big angels bar their way, and one holds the spear that bleeds; that is the spear that entered Christ’s side, and it bleeds always. And then comes Galahad who alone may see it – and to see it is death, for it is seeing the face of God.’ Georgiana Burne-Jones, Memorials, Vol II, p.209