(click to enlarge)
Frederick W. Elwell
(English, 1870-1958)
The First Born, ????
Oil on canvas
Here an ancient Breton song that was probably known to Georgiana [Burne-Jone's wife] provides the subject and the title for the painting: Hélas! je sais un chant d'amor/Triste ou gai, Tour á tour (Alas, I know a love song/Sad or merry, each in turn). The work depicts an organist with a figure representing Love working the bellows. The figure of Love is sightless ('love is blind'), while Burne-Jones's abiding interest in the language of flowers is manifest un the painting, where tulips (symbolizing 'ardent love') and wallflowers ('bitterness') jointly represent the contradictory emotions expressed in the song.
a pageant truly play'd,(Info from Pre Raphaelite Art blog.)
Between the pale complexion of true love
And the red glow of scorn and proud disdain