Lot 23: Study of Pharamond and Azalais for 'Love is Enough or the Freeing of Pharamond'

Charles Fairfax Murray (1849-1919) Study of Pharamond and Azalais for 'Love is Enough or the Freeing of Pharamond' inscribed 'AZALAIS' and 'PHARAMON' (upper left and upper right, within a cartouche) brush and brown ink and grey wash, heightened with white on brown paper 14 7/8 x 10 ¾ in. (37.8 x 27.3 cm.)

37.8 x 27.3 cm.

with Campbell Wilson, London, where purchased by the present owners.

Murray was at the centre of the Pre-Raphaelite world, working initially as an assistant in Burne-Jones's studio before working for Rossetti and then later with Ruskin. The present drawing is related to William Morris' poem, Love is enough or the Freeing of Pharamond, first published in 1873. In the poem King Pharamond abandons his kingdom searching for Azalais, who he has only seen in dreams, but with whom he has fallen in love. As a result he loses his kingdom, but realizes that his happiness lies with Azalais and not in attempting to regain his realm.