Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896) is known to have produced clay models of the figures in his paintings as an aide to composition, lighting etc. It is here suggested that Burne-Jones's studio produced a clay facsimile of the composition for Arthur in Avalon, for much the same reason. Matthew Webb, his assistant and Osmund Weeks (active 1880s) also an assistant, were both skilled artists in gesso and were quite able to model in clay.