Artwork Title: Portrait of Katie Lewis Reading a Book

Portrait of Katie Lewis Reading a Book, 1886

Edward Burne-Jones

Katie Lewis arrived in Burne-Jones’ life before his own grandchildren were born but after his own children had grown up. She was the young daughter of George Lewis, the eminent solicitor to many celebrities of the day. Lewis, by all accounts, was a mild mannered but extremely astute man, and was called upon by everyone from The Prince of Wales to the relatives of the poisoned Charles Bravo. The letters Burne-Jones penned to Katie are playful and rather naughty sometimes. He encourages bad habits in Katie by his silly spelling and general foolishness, and instructs her to ask her parents tell her long and complicated stories which Burne-Jones obviously has made up. He was obviously a tease and enjoyed inserting messages to Katie’s parents, George and Elizabeth who he was not only very fond of, but also valued her opinion. Toying with the two audiences was no doubt part of his own... [https://madeleineemeraldthiele.wordpress.com/2017/08/12/letters-to-katie-from-edward-burne-jones/]
Uploaded on Jan 3, 2017 by Suzan Hamer

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