A Pre-Raphaelite Bromance: The Influence of Dante Gabriel Rossetti on the Queer Works of Edward Burne-Jones

In this paper I explore the artistic and personal association between eminent Pre-Raphaelite artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones, through the lens of queer theory. I put forward the idea that Burne-Jones was battling with queer desire for his idol and tutor, drawing upon the lengthy correspondence between the two men held at the Bodleian library, among other sources. Though this love appears to be unrequited, I explore the notable influence it may have had upon the androgynous works of Burne-Jones – including his two versions of The Annunciation (1857–61 and 1879), the Pygmalion Series (1873–75), The Depths of the Sea (1886) and The Sirens (1872–1898). Whilst some works, such as the Annunciations, are strikingly similar to Rossetti's in both style and composition, others reveal the tutor's influence in a more subtle manner. In many cases Rossetti drew Burne-Jones directly to the source material or subject matter, but there appears to be a deeper connection: the Pygmalion series and The Sirens, among others, contain queer undertones which hint at suppressed romantic feelings on the part of Burne-Jones.