In Burne-Jones' account books there is a charge of £3 for a design of the 'Flight into Egypt' (July 1862), and another of £4 'To Flight into Egypt / 2 cartoons' (25 August 1862). The church of Saints Michael and all Angels, Brighton, was designed by G.F. Bodley in 1858, one of the first architects to employ the firm of Morris and Co. It seems reasonable to follow Fairfax Murray in identifying the present drawing with the design listed in the account books; the cartoons were presented to the City of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery by Fairfax Murray (Nos. 7, 01 and 8,01). The Windows are illustrated by A.C. Sewter 'The Stained Glass of Wm. Morris and his Circle' Vol. 1 pls. 54 and 55. Inscription: ; verso; ink; Sketches for window at Brighton / Flight into Egypt by Edward Burne Jones / July 1862 the cartoons which I / also possess were finished in the / following August See acct. book with the / firm of Morris & Co., / Ctm
The design of July 1862 is considerably different from the cartoons of August the same year. There must have been some discussion regarding the suitability of the design, however beautiful, regarding its relationship to the actual shape of the window. Burne-Jones modified the design by enlarging the figures and having them bending in an arch thus occupying the entire area. A similar situation arose with the Paradise window at Lyndhurst, which indicates how Burne-Jones was becoming accustomed to design for stained glass in adapting the size of his figures to occupy the space available.
Inscribed verso by Charles Fairfax Murray : Sketches for window at Brighton Flight into Egypt by Edward Burne-Jones July 1862 The cartoons which I also possess were finished in the following August see Acct. Book with the Firm of Morris & Co. CFM This is the preliminary design for a window in the east end Chapel on the south wall of St Michael's Church, Brighton, which was made to be presented to the commissioners for their approval. It has slight differences from the finished window, in the final version Mary ( a portrait of Georgiana) looks out at the viewer and the angel above her is reversed. At this stage of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Company, the artist's themselves produced the small designs submitted to the patron, but later on they were given to the workshop to execute. The full size cartoon is held in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery collections The design of July 1862 is considerably different from the cartoons of August the same year. There must have been some discussion regarding the suitability of the design, however beautiful, regarding its relationship to the actual shape of the window. Burne-Jones modified the design by enlarging the figures and having them bending in an arch thus occupying the entire area. A similar situation arose with the Paradise window at Lyndhurst, which indicates how Burne-Jones was becoming accustomed to design for stained glass in adapting the size of his figures to occupy the space available.