The last sleep of the old year: Edward Burne-Jones,1872-1892, and Thomas Assael, 2009

Passengers, 2009, Steven Assael-1The Council Chamber, 1872-'92-2Passengers, 2009, Steven Assael-5The Council Chamber, 1872-'92-5Passengers, 2009, Steven Assael-3The Council Chamber, 1872-'92-3Passengers, 2009, Steven Assael-2Passengers, 2009, Steven Assael-4The Council Chamber, 1872-'92-4

The Council Chamber, 1872-’92, painted with oil on canvas by Edward Burne-Jones, 18331898, British, in illustration of part of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s ‘The Sleeping Beauty’.

Passengers painted in 2009 with oil on canvas by Thomas Assael, born 1957, American.

Delaware Musuem of Art, Wilmington, Delaware. 

The little monkeys – there are two in Thomas Assael’s painting and they are awake and alert –  we are told are a symbol of ambiguity in Dutch classical art.  Sleep can also be a nightmare and who knows what the new year will bring. 

Tomorrow when they awake it will be a new year, close as they are to each other and at ease.