Jane Burden

Jane Burden (October 19 1839 - January 1914) was the embodiment of the Pre-Raphaelite ideal of beauty. She became the wife of William Morris and the inspiration and mistress of Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

Related Topics:
October 19 - 1839 - January - 1914 - Pre-Raphaelite - William Morris - Dante Gabriel Rossetti

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She was born in Oxford. At the time of her birth, her father Robert Burden was a stableman and lived with his wife (Jane's mother), Ann Burden (formerly Maizey) at St. Helen's Passages, St. Peter in the East, Oxford. Jane's mother, who was illiterate, probably came to Oxford as a domestic servant. Little is known about Jane's childhood but it was clearly one of poverty and deprivation.

Related Topics:
Oxford - Stableman

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In October 1857, Jane and her sister Elizabeth (known in the family as Bessie) were attending a performance in Oxford of the Drury Lane Theatre Company. Jane was noticed by the artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones who were part of a group of artists painting murals in the Oxford Union based on Arthurian tales. Struck by Jane's beauty, they sought her to model for them. Jane initially sat mainly for Rossetti who needed a model for Queen Guinivere. After this, Jane sat to Morris who was working on an easel painting, La Belle Iseult (Tate Gallery). During this period, Morris fell in love with Jane and they were engaged.

Related Topics:
October - 1857 - Drury Lane - Artist - Edward Burne-Jones - Mural - Oxford Union - Arthurian - Guinivere - Iseult - Tate Gallery

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Jane's education was extremely limited and she was probably intended to go into domestic service. After her engagement, Jane was privately educated. Her keen intelligence allowed her essentially to re-create herself. She was a voracious reader and became proficient in French and later Italian. She also became an accomplished pianist with a strong background in classical music. Her manners and speech became refined to an extent that contemporaries referred to her as "Queenly." Later in life, she would have no trouble moving in upper class circles.

Related Topics:
Domestic service - French - Italian - Pianist - Classical music - Upper class

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She married William Morris at St. Michael's Church, Oxford, on April 26 1859. Her father was at that time described as a groom, in stables at 65 Holywell Street, Oxford.

Related Topics:
William Morris - April 26 - 1859 - Groom

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Jane Burden and William Morris settled at Kelmscott Manor, on the Oxfordshire - Wiltshire borders, where they both lived until they died: he in 1896, she in January 1914.

Related Topics:
William Morris - Oxfordshire - Wiltshire - 1896

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They had two daughters, Jane Alice (Jenny) born January 1861 and Mary (May) (March 1862 - 1938), who was the editor of her father's works.

Related Topics:
1861 - Mary (May) - March - 1862 - 1938

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