Object Type
This illustration was one of two designed by Edward Burne-Jones and wood-engraved by W.H. Hooper for this book. During the 19th century it was usual for the artist to make a drawing, which was photographically transferred to a block of boxwood for a professional engraver to cut. Burne-Jones drawings were sometimes touched up on the photograph by Charles Fairfax Murray before cutting to prevent loss of detail.



Design & Designing
William Morris set up the Kelmscott Press in 1891. William Morris was a key figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement and central to the Pre-Raphaelite artistic circle. Inspired by medieval illuminated manuscripts and early printed books, he set up the Kelmscott Press in order to meet his aesthetic ideal of integrated design, in particular unified illustration and text. Morris himself carefully designed initial letters, borders and typefaces - the typeface designed for this book was named Golden - as well as commissioning illustrations from artists such as the leading Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Burne-Jones for books printed by the Kelmscott Press.



People
Burne-Jones first met William Morris when they were students in Oxford. Although principally a painter, Burne-Jones provided a number of designs for Morris' company, Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., and this collaboration continued when Morris set up the Kelmscott Press and Burne-Jones illustrated a number of these books.