A drawing for a series of four paintings based on an episode from William Morris' cycle of epic poems, 'The Earthly Paradise'. The first series is currently in the collection of Lord Lloyd-Webber, the second series are in Birmingham's collection. The scene shows the statue being brought to life by the figure of Venus. Compositionally different in every way from the same scene later depicted in both series of oil paintings. Bequeathed by James Richardson Holliday, 1927
Venus appears in a glory with tongues of flame. At the touch of the goddess the image takes life and is in the act to move from the niche, her hair falling down and the spray dropping from her hand. Three frames of eleven pencil designs for wood blocks, on tracing paper. Drawn for an illustrated edition of “The Earthly Paradise”, never carried out. “A man of Cyprus, named Pygmalion, made an image of a woman fairer than any that had yet been seen, and in the end came to love his own handiwork as though it had been alive; wherefore, praying to Venus for help, he obtained his end, for she made the image alive indeed, and a Woman, and Pygmalion wedded her.” – The Earthly Paradise.