This composition originated as a design for one of the six windows designed for the Green Dining Room at the South Kensington Museum in 1866-7 depicting women standing in gardens. Burne-Jones subsequently painted watercolour versions of each of the designs (one in the Cecil French Bequest, Hammersmith & Fulham Council). The present picture appears to be a further picture, based upon one of the watercolours. Studies for this figure are in the collections of the Courtauld Institute, London and Birmingham City Art Gallery. Sotheby's 2012
Fitzwilliam Work list 1867 The Garland a watercolour in 6 compartments - unfinished and in the hands of that demon Howell Fitzwilliam Account book 1866 Dec 5 - 17 To 4 large designs for Kensington 28 Mar. 1 ... 2 designs Kens 14 There is evidence that there was a conspiracy between Charles Augustus Howell (Rossetti's dealer/agent) and the artist's model, Rosa Frances Corder (18 May 1853 – 28 November 1893), to alter this painting. Corder became the lover of Charles Augustus Howell in 1873. Howell is alleged to have persuaded her to create drawings in the style of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, which Howell could pass off as originals.[9] Corder is also said to have forged Fuselis.[10] Drawings derived from Rossetti's stained-glass window designs depicting the story of Saint George and the Dragon are attributed to her.[10] 9. M. C. Rintoul, Dictionary of real people and places in fiction, Taylor & Francis, 1993, p.521. 10. The Story of St George - St George Slaying the Dragon This work is part of a set of four drawings attributed to Rosa Corder after stained glass windows by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The head of St George is said to have been modelled on Charles Augustus Howell (1840-90), a controversial figure with the Pre-Raphaelite circle. Corder was an associate and mistress of Howell from 1873, who is considered by many to have been a forger of Rossetti as well as Fuseli drawings. In a letter of 22 March 1876, Rossetti writes to Howell: 'You borrowed a set of drawings of St. George and the Dragon to copy - for your own use only. Please return them to Chelsea at once.' (C. L. Cline (ed.), The Owl and the Rossettis: Letters of Charles A. Howell and Dante Gabriel, Christina, and William Michael Rosestti, Pennysylvania University State Press, 1978, letter 461). Rossetti wrote to Theodore Watts-Dunton on 11 February 1878 that 'He [Howell] has of mine five cartoons of St. George...' (Doughty and Wahl (ed.), Letters of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, vol. iv, 1967, letter 1885). This figure was used in a design for a projected painting that was never completed design held in the William Morris Gallery.
This composition was begun as a design for one of the six windows designed for the Green Dining Room at the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) in 1866-7 depicting female figures in landscapes. Burne-Jones subsequently painted watercolour versions of each of the designs (one in the Cecil French Bequest, Hammersmith & Fulham Council). The present painting appears to be a further picture, based upon one of the watercolours. Studies for this figure are in the collections of the Courtauld Institute, London and Birmingham City Art Gallery.