The present version's composition adheres to the watercolour dating from the early 1870s (Cleveland Museum of Art). The differences between this and the Buscot version indicate a considerable refinement of the initial ideas. Account book 1864 – Jan 1: 10 designs of Sleeping Beauty (First appearance) Fitzwilliam work list: 1871 – A small picture on velum in watercolours of the Sleeping Beauty in a saffron dress 1872 Four pictures of Sleeping Beauty in oil painted for Graham began in 1871 1873 – Finished the small Briar Rose pictures for Graham 1874 – Worked upon the Briar Rose pictures 1875 - Worked at the Loom in the large Briar Rose story… and at the girls in Briar Rose… 1884 – took up again in June the subject of the Briar Rose.. in the Autumn until the end of the year painted on the first picture of the Sleeping Beauty of Briar Rose 1885 – I took up again and finished the first of the Briar Rose… this Autumn began another of the Briar Rose pictures- the fourth with the Princess asleep 1886 – In the Summer I painted on the Sleeping princess 1887 – re drew all the figures of the sleeping girls and the third picture of the sleeping palace These are the references to the Briar Rose series in the Fitzwilliam work list and a single entry from the Morris & Co Account book ( Fitzwilliam). Though incomplete they give a guide to the evolution of the paintings.