Green Summer by Edward Burne-Jones (Interpretation and Analysis)

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Green Summer
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Happy summer! In honor of the first day of the season, I want to share a painting by the great Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones. Burne-Jones stands out as one of the most productive and talented artists of his age; like many Pre-Raphaelites, he was driven by a desire to create serious and meaningful art.

However, by the time Burne-Jones painted Green Summer in 1868, his art was beginning to move toward the values of the Aestheticism movement. Aestheticism in art is often defined as “art for art’s sake;” painters who embrace Aestheticism tend to prioritize the beauty of the piece and its aesthetic value over the meaning or moral significance of the painting. In many ways, the values of Aestheticism and Pre-Raphaelitism are completely opposite. 

However, Burne-Jones continued to embrace the Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic in his work throughout his career. Famously, Burne-Jones’ paintings were heavily inspired by medieval artwork. This can be seen in Green Summer. The painting depicts a group of women dressed in green sitting on a lawn. A forest can be seen in the background, completing the image of an idyllic summer day. The women in the painting hold plants or read books, enjoying the sun. Some of the women in the painting are recognizable, including his wife Georgiana and Jane Morris, who commonly modeled for Pre-Raphaelite painters. Their poses are reminiscent of those used by the Italian painter Giotto—one of the most famous artists of the late medieval period—in his Scrovegni Chapel frescoes.

Overall, this painting is a celebration of life. It represents the newness and renewal that summer brings, with green standing in as a symbol of growth and new life. However, it is important not to layer too many meanings onto this piece. First and foremost, this painting is an object of beauty. 

I hope Green Summer brings you joy as this new season begins!

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