7 Autograph Letters signed " Burne Jones", "Edward" & "EBJ" to Euphrosyne Cassavetti & 1 Autograph Letter signed to Maria Zambaco, together 17pp. & 6 envelopes (2 delivered by hand, others with stamps removed), 8vo, 41 Kensington Square, The Grange, West Kensington & n.p., n.d. [c. 1866] - postmarked 7th August 1883, 4th July 1887, 3rd February 1888 [last letter to Zambaco], on a variety of subjects, ?addressing Maria Zambaco in 1 letter as a "dear & ill-used friend", asking her forgiveness and declaring, "I never forget you", [although the envelope is addressed to Madame Cassavetti the instruction is "Please Forward", suggesting it should be passed to Maria Zambaco], and the rest of the letters to her mother, Euphrosyne Cassavetti, giving an account of his children (Philip Burne-Jones drawing etc.), sending a painting of St George "and a smaller drawing of the Turkish bath: I hope it is not rude to send you such a drawing - I hope you were prepared for any possibility when you challenged me to draw it please laugh at it a little", and saying how sad he is to see her so weak.., selling her his painting of Cupid and Psyche , " the price of the Cupid & Psycheis Gs 40 I am certain this is a picture that Madam Zambaco or Miss Spartali would have chosen but since time was pressing I took the first design that lent itself readily ", mentioning their mutual friend, GF Watts, "I had a nice account of you from Watts how good you had been to him and his wife in Athens (see Watts letters)", and finding a place at New College, Oxford for her son Alexander, and an ?allusion to his affair with Maria Zambaco and its effect on his marriage, "Georgie is rather unwell I am as nervous as you ever saw me dear lady?", some tears along folds (1 letter with small piece loose), and 1 letter with small hole. Unpublished. Burne-Jones had been in love with Maria Zambaco, Euphrosyne Cassavetti's daughter since 1867 and their affair ran on for several years. Marie Stillman [née Spartali] (1844-1927), painter and artist's model. Provenance: By descent in the family.
In January 1869 his wife Georgina found a letter from Maria in his clothing and Burne-Jones reluctantly ended the affair.
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.