{"product_id":"king-cophetua-and-the-beggar-maid-edward-burne-jones","title":"King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid - Edward Burne-Jones","description":"\u003cp\u003eA masterpiece of late Pre-Raphaelite painting, this work depicts the legendary encounter between a king and a beggar maid with meticulous detail and symbolic depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKing Cophetua and the Beggar Maid, completed in 1884, represents the mature style of Edward Burne-Jones. The painting depicts the legend of an African king who rejects all royal suitors, only to fall in love with a beggar girl. Burne-Jones subverts the traditional power dynamic by placing the king at the feet of the girl, who sits elevated on a throne-like dais. Her simple, grey attire contrasts with the king's elaborate, dark armour, suggesting a reversal of status where the beggar possesses a quiet, spiritual authority.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition is highly structured, utilising a vertical format that draws the eye from the king in the foreground to the two choristers positioned on a balcony above. The architectural setting is dense with detail, featuring metallic surfaces, heavy drapery, and muted tones that create a sense of stillness. Burne-Jones employs a precise, linear technique, characteristic of his later work, which prioritises form and symbolic arrangement over atmospheric effects. The figures possess the elongated proportions and melancholic expressions typical of his subjects, reflecting a preoccupation with classical and medieval themes rather than contemporary reality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work was acquired by the Tate Gallery in 1900. It remains one of the most recognised examples of late Pre-Raphaelite art, demonstrating the artist's ability to synthesise literary narrative with a highly controlled, decorative aesthetic. The attention to material textures, from the polished steel of the armour to the soft folds of the beggar maid's dress, reveals the technical rigour applied to the canvas. By focusing on the psychological tension between the two central figures, Burne-Jones creates a scene that feels removed from time, inviting the viewer to contemplate the nature of devotion and social hierarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/before-the-battle-dante-gabriel-rossetti\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eBefore the Battle - Dante Gabriel Rossetti — Dante Gabriel Rossetti\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-eve-of-saint-agnes-william-holman-hunt\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Eve of Saint Agnes - William Holman Hunt — William Holman Hunt\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Edward Burne-Jones","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58877901766991,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58877928735055,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58877928767823,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58877928800591,"sku":null,"price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58877928833359,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/King-Cophetua-and-the-Beggar-Maid_Poster_CompositorV1_1790322025098.jpg?v=1790322634","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/king-cophetua-and-the-beggar-maid-edward-burne-jones","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}