A portrait study of a young woman, possibly Maria Zambaco, from the back and looking over her right shoulder. Drawing was central to Burne-Jones' art . This is one of five fine drawings (all from Miss Crawshay's collection) in the chalk technique characteristic of Burne-Jones's work of the mid-1860s. He used it both for figure studies for paintings such as those for Green Summer of c.1864 (Birmingham Art Gallery) and in highly finished drawings such as this, in what Stephen Wildman describes as "this style of soft chalk on fairly heavy paper, which gives a rich grainy texture to shadows and background." (Visions of Life and Love, Virginia 1995, No. 79) This and the other drawings also reflect Burne-Jones' growing interest in Italian Renaissance and classical art, especially after his second visit to Italy in 1862. Compositions and treatment of details, notably drapery, derive from his studies of Renaissance painting and Greek and Roman sculpture. The dress reflects the interest in decoratively-patterned folds of drapery characteristic of his later work. The pose, with the half-length figure turned to the right and the right arm raised but the head shown full face over the shoulder, is similar to that of the Study of a Girl (with puffed sleeves) [WIG/ D/ 50, Great Parlour], and Maria Zambaco [WIG/ D/ 49] and Head of a young woman [WIG/ D/ 51, both Indian Bird Room].
The initials enclosed in a heart are the same as those that appear on the study of Maria for Hymaneas of 1869. His confidence in the technique of red crayon and graphite is assured, less textural and fine linear style prefiguring that of the 1870s. (For comparison see portrait of a Young Woman in the Ashmolean Collections c. 1866)
Rossetti letter to Madox Brown 23 January 1869: Poor Ned's affairs have come to a smash altogether, and he and Topsy, after the most dreadful to-do, started for Rome suddenly, leaving the Greek damsel beating up the quarters of all his friends for him and howling like Cassandra. Georgie stayed behind. I hear to-day however that Top and Ned got no further than Dover, Ned being so dreadfully ill that they will probably have to return to London.
In January 1869 his wife Georgina found a letter from Maria in his clothing and Burne-Jones reluctantly ended the affair.