Sir Edward Burne-Jones: Phyllis and Demophoon

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The subject of this important work occurs in Chaucer's 'Legend of Good Women', though Burne-Jones also significantly sites Ovid's 'Heroides'. Phyllis, Queen of Thrace, falls in lov e with Demophoon, son of Theseus. He departs but promises to return in six months' time. When he fails to keep his promise, Phyllis hangs herself, and is turned by the gods into an almond tree. On his eventual return, Demophoon remorsefully embraces the tree, which blooms, as Phyllis emerges to forgive and reclaim her faithless lover. Both Phyllis and Demophoon are modelled on Maria Zambaco, with whom Burne-Jones had been having an affair since June 1868 [shortcode] [short-description] • Artist: Sir Edward Burne-Jones• Artwork: Phyllis & Demophoon• Date of Work: 1870 [/short-description][/details] [/shortcode] Show more