The Golden Stairs

Edward Burne-Jones’s The Golden Stairs shows a long procession of young women in flowing gowns descending a spiral staircase, some bearing musical instruments, some with nothing at all. There is no story and no destination — the painting is an exercise in rhythm, color, and grace. Its hypnotic formal beauty made it one of the most admired works of the Aesthetic movement, a vision of art pursued for its own sake.