The Wheel of Fortune (Burne-Jones) facts for kids
The Wheel of Fortune is a famous oil painting by the British artist Edward Burne-Jones. He painted it between 1875 and 1883. This artwork mixes ideas from ancient times and the Middle Ages. It shows a story, called an allegory, about how life can change. It's like a "wheel of fortune" that spins, lifting some people up and bringing others down.
Burne-Jones himself said about the painting: "My wheel of Fortune is a true-to-life image; it comes to fetch each of us in turn, then it crushes us." The main version of this painting is now kept at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France. It has been there since 1980.
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What is 'The Wheel of Fortune' Painting?
The main painting is quite large, measuring about 200 centimeters tall and 100 centimeters wide. With its frame, it's even bigger. The artist used calm colors like greys, browns, greens, and blues.
This painting was first planned as part of a larger artwork about the Fall of Troy. The painting shows a huge wooden wheel with spokes. A giant goddess named Fortune is turning this wheel. She stands in a classic pose, wearing a long blue dress. Her head is covered, and her eyes are looking down.
The wheel and the figures take up most of the painting. You can also see small parts of a wall and a tree in the top left corner. A little bit of grey sky is visible too.
History of the Main Painting
The finished painting was first shown in London in 1883. A politician named Arthur Balfour bought it that same year. He later became the British Prime Minister.
The painting was shown in several exhibitions. These included the Royal Jubilee Exhibition in Manchester in 1887 and the Brussels International Exposition in 1897. It was also part of a Burne-Jones exhibition in London in 1898.
After Arthur Balfour passed away in 1930, his brother inherited the painting. It was then sold in 1932 to a French collector, who later gave it to his daughter. In 1980, the French government bought the painting. It was then placed in the Musée d'Orsay museum in Paris.
Other Versions of the Painting
Burne-Jones also painted a second, smaller version of The Wheel of Fortune. This oil painting was created between 1871 and 1885. It is now at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia. This version measures about 151 centimeters tall and 72 centimeters wide. It was bought by the museum in 1909.
This Australian version is displayed in a heavy, gold frame. This frame looks like the original frames Burne-Jones used for his other paintings. For example, it is similar to the frame of his painting Vespertina Quies.
The National Museum Cardiff in Wales has another unfinished version of the painting from around 1882. You can also find some of Burne-Jones's early sketches for the painting at the Lady Lever Art Gallery.
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Vespertina Quies, 1893, Tate
See also
- List of paintings by Edward Burne-Jones
