Inscribed: But what is that that love cannot espie ye lovers two if that I-shall not lie Ye founden first this little narrow dift And with a sound as soft as ant shrift They let their words through the cliftè pace And tolden while they standen in the place All their complaint of love and all their woe At every time when they durstè so The triptych is in watercolour with bodycolour on vellum, and the panels measure 36.2 x 26cm. (Thisbe, left), 36.1 x 12.9cm. (Cupid, centre) and 36.2 x 26cm. (Pyramus, right). According to Burne-Jones’s autograph work-record (Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge), it was started in 1872 and completed in 1876.
Fitzwilliam Work list 1872 ... a small watercolour triptych on vellum of Pyramus and Thisbe 1875 ... designed and painted the central figure of the Pyramus and Thisbe for Benjamin a Hebrew 1876 ... painted a triptych of Pyramus and Thisbe in watercolour on vellum sold to one Benjamin an Israelite Pyramus and Thisbe was a story originally intended to be included in The Earthly Paradise.