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Jane BerdenThe famous model, the embodiment of the Pre-Raphaelitist ideal of beauty.
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- Jane Burden: The Iconic Muse of the Pre-Raphaelites
- Early Life and Modelling Career
- Transformation and Social Status
- Marriage and Family
- Later Years and Legacy
Jane Burden: The Iconic Muse of the Pre-Raphaelites
Jane Burden, born on October 19, 1839, in Oxford, was a renowned muse and the embodiment of beauty for the Pre-Raphaelites. She was the wife of William Morris and the beloved of Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
Early Life and Modelling Career
Jane Burden was born in poverty to her parents, Robert Burden and Ann Maizey, in Oxford. Her father worked as a groom, while her mother was illiterate and likely came to Oxford to work as a servant. Little is known about Jane's childhood, but it is evident that it was marked by poverty and deprivation.
In October 1857, Jane and her sister Elizabeth attended a performance at the Drury Lane Theatre, where they caught the attention of artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones. These artists were part of a group of painters creating frescoes for the Oxford Union based on the Arthurian cycle. They were captivated by Jane's beauty and persuaded her to pose for them.
Initially, Jane posed as Queen Guinevere for Rossetti, and later, she became the model for Morris in his painting "La Belle Iseult." Morris eventually proposed to Jane, and they got married.
Transformation and Social Status
Before her marriage, Jane Burden had received minimal education, as her parents likely intended for her to pursue a career in domestic service. However, after her engagement, Jane Morris began taking private lessons, learning French and Italian and becoming a skilled pianist. Her manners and speech transformed to the point where her contemporaries described her as a "regal" figure.
Jane eventually integrated into the upper echelons of English society and may have served as the inspiration for Mrs. Higgins in George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion."
Marriage and Family
Jane and William Morris tied the knot on April 26, 1859, at St. Michael's Church in Oxford. At the time, Jane's father worked as a groom at the stables located at 65 Holywell Street in Oxford.
Initially, Jane and William resided in Red House (Bexleyheath, Kent), where they welcomed their two daughters, Alice (January 1861) and Mary (March 1862). They later lived in Kelmscott Manor, situated on the border of Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, for many years. This house is currently open to the public.
Later Years and Legacy
Jane Burden passed away on January 26, 1914, in Bath, where she lived at 5 Brock Street. Despite her humble beginnings, Jane's beauty and charm immortalized her as an iconic muse of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Her influence can still be felt today, and her memory lives on in the works of the artists she inspired.
