The story of Danae appears in William Morris's version of The Doom of King Acrisius, in which his daughter - Danae, gives birth to Perseus, who ultimately fulfills the Doom. Burne-Jones planned 28 illustrations for the story, for which this drawing is a development of the first to be mentioned in a list of subjects in one of Burne-Jones's sketchbooks held in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Acc, no 1070 -2. The entry is as follows on page 77 "Doom of King Acrisius 1. Danae in garden looking at tower being built" This sketchbook bears the address "41 Kensington Square" which indicates that the list originates at the planning of the projected large illustrated volume c.1865. Burne-Jones was not prepared to abandon the design he had made and this drawing represents a development of the idea possibly for a unrealised painting. However a number of versions were made, the final one being that of 1888, now in the Kelvingrove Art gallery, Glasgow.