Longer the shades grew, quicker sank the sun, Until at last the day was well-nigh done. In contrast to the untroubled serenity of Princess Sabra's first appearance (see illus. p. 101), she now stands limply in despair against a dark and sinister background, as her atten- dants hurry away. The related drawing, which is in the British Museum (1954-5-8-12), is in the least pristine condition of the series.
Signed and dated lower right EB-J 1866 The hyphenated initials indicate that the painting was signed and dated at the time of the 1890s' re-touching. At that date the maiden's face ad draperies was re-modelled. A very early sketch showing the maiden kneeling is in a sketchbook held by the Birmingham Museum and art gallery. The McLean catalogue quotes the following extract from William Morris's The Earthly Paradise "The Story of Cupid and Psyche" :- Longer the shades grew, quicker sank the sun, Until at last the day was well-nigh done.
Burne-Jones repained the canvases sometime after 1894, when Foster's collection was dispersed.
25 April 1895 Agnews bought them and had them oiled out4 and varnished and properly framed. Gooden then bought them and sold a half share in them to McLean who exhibited them at his place in Hay Market5. They are the cheapest lot of Burne-Jones's on the market, if you know of any friends who have a house big enough to hold them. 2 of them are as big as your [Samuel Bancroft] Briar Rose (197). 2 about 2/3rds this size and 3 others small. The difficulty is to sell them in the lump. Agnew was disposed to break them up if he hadn't sold them immediately and I expect that will be their ultimate fate.6 4. A process of rubbing the picture surface with oil to restore its original colour. 5. Thomas McLean's Gallery at 7 the Haymarket. 6. The set was dispersed.
13 May 1895 I do not know what the St. George pictures (!(") will go for but I believe 7,000. Everything depends on what E.B.J. will charge for retouching them as he wishes to do.
27 February [1897] I know exactly where E. B. J. got his Story of St. George from. He usually consulted Mrs. Jameson's "Sacred and Legendary Art"2 for the Lives of saints. I have referred to her book but the legend differs in details. he has probably supplemented it from other sources, but for all the details he would not be bound by any authority. 2. Anna Brownell Jameson. Sacred and legendary Art. London, Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans. 1848