Sidonia von Bork

Edward Burne-Jones depicts Sidonia von Bork, a legendary Pomeranian noblewoman accused of witchcraft in the sixteenth century. She stands in elaborate Renaissance dress, her beauty masking the sinister reputation that would lead to her execution.

Burne-Jones was inspired by Wilhelm Meinhold's Gothic novel Sidonia the Sorceress (1847), which the Pre-Raphaelites admired. The painting pairs with a portrait of Sidonia's virtuous cousin Clara. The contrast between beauty and evil fascinated Victorian audiences. This work hangs at Tate Britain in London.