
Read the visual description
The image shows a person standing upright, holding a long staff in their left hand, which extends from the ground up beyond their shoulder. The person is gazing slightly to their left. Their hands suggest they are resting or possibly clasping something. The facial features are delicate and softly outlined; the person has wavy hair that is longer on the sides, secured with a headband or wrap, and flows down around the face. Their attire consists of a voluminous, draped garment that falls in multiple folds down to their feet, suggesting movement or depth. A tied sash at the waist gathers the garment. In the background, the scene has a dark, almost monochrome appearance, emphasizing the light and shaded contrast of the figure, which adds a dramatic element to the composition. The background lacks distinct elements, focusing attention on the figure itself.
National Gallery of Art · Drawing
Angelus Ministrans
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones
- Date
- c. 1896
- Medium
- brush and gold paint on wove paper prepared with black watercolor
- Dimensions
- Overall: 25 x 13.3 cm (9 13/16 x 5 1/4 in.) overall: 35.6 x 27.9 cm (14 x 11 in.)
- Classification
- Drawing
- Accession number
- 1997.67.1
- Credit line
- William B. O'Neal Fund
- Time span
- 1876 to 1900
- Department
- CG-E
Subjects and terms
- female
- figure
- British
Provenance
(Peter Nahum, London); purchased by NGA, 1997.
Inscription
lower left in gold paint: E / B / J (in monogram); by later hand, upper center verso in graphite: 2 / 19 1/2 x 14
NGA object ID 100901. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.