The Sleep of Arthur in Avalon (Museo de Arte, Ponce, Puerto Rico), Burne-Jones's largest oil painting, was commissioned in 1881 by his friend and patron George Howard, Earl of Carlisle. As time passed, however, and the picture assumed the status of a great personal statement, Howard resigned his right to it and Burne-Jones continued to work on it for his own satisfaction. It was still unfinished at his death in June 1898.
A: Study for the knees of Morgan Le Fay seated with Arthur's head resting on her lap. In the final painting the knees are in a different position. B: A study for the left most figure of the composition and possibly the most important from the viewer's point of view, as she is the only figure that relates to the world beyond the island. As such the artist made numerous studies, in this case with a lost profile, but in the final version he made her full profile and she is leaning on a rock where as here she holds her drapery. C: A variant study of the drapery of B. D: A drapery study for the attendant in white playing the harp. E and F: Studies of the draped knees of the Queen with Arthur's feet on her lap.
These studies are for the four Queens seated at the corners of Arthur's bier and the two 'watchers' who stand at the far left of the composition.