These studies of Alessandro di Marco as Merlin, are transitional in their presentation and style, they display Burne-Jones's consciousness of exhibition drawings by the great Masters of the Renaissance, and are a product of his recent visit to Italy. In style they have the rough texture which characterised his drawings of the late 1860s, but have not yet the refinement and precision of line which is evident in the mid-1870s. At the time of their production, the artist had visualised in his mind, the complete format of the composition and was refining the details, specifically the importance of Merlin's gaze at Nimue and the expressiveness of his limp hands.