Burne-Jones's Pygmalion and Galatea Series at Birmingham Museum

Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1833–1898) produced two sets of oil paintings that depict the tale of Pygmalion and Galatea. The later series, created from 1875 to 1878, includes four panels: 'The Heart Desires,' 'The Hand Refrains,' 'The Godhead Fires,' and 'The Soul Attains,' all housed at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery in Birmingham, UK. This myth, rooted in Ancient Greece, narrates the story of a Cypriot sculptor who falls in love with his own statue and appeals to Aphrodite for life. Ovid (43 BCE–17 CE) recast this narrative in his Metamorphoses (8 CE). Burne-Jones's earlier series, made between 1868 and 1870, was characterized by monochrome tones and rigid forms, influenced by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The second series, showcasing a vivid color scheme and a more statuesque approach, solidified Burne-Jones's standing within the Pre-Raphaelite movement. The panels illustrate Pygmalion's celibacy, the birth of Galatea (meaning 'she who is white like milk'), his prayer at Aphrodite's festival, and the statue's coming to life. The couple later had a son named Paphos, who established the city of Paphos in Cyprus.