Edward Burne-Jones - Tate Britain - ★★★★ - Until February 24, 2019


This first solo Burne-Jones show at the Tate since 1933 reminds us that he is considerably more than just another one of the pre-Raphaelites. It is a shame when artists get lost in being simply part of a movement, so thanks to the Tate for singling out this work in this show. While Burne-Jones shared his bretherns' reverence for a pre-industrial world which he explored through depictions of various myths and legends, he was also a voice and an artist who deserves to be considered on his own merits. His unforgettable pictures with often entwined but disconnected figures staring unemotionally into a middle distance have an air of mystery and evoke a time that never was. The delightful humorous sketches and some drawings, like the study for the head of King Cophetua, give us a glimpse of the man behind the constructions of the cool reveries he is known for. They are well worth noting. With over one hundred and fifty objects on display, we also see his astonishing versatility in the wide variety of media he worked in.

Reviewed by J.C.

 Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆ 

WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until February 24, 2019
Daily: 10 am - 6 pm
Tate Britain
Nearest tube: Pimlico
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/edward-burne-jones

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