Ananias

Ananias (1870) depicts the New Testament figure from Acts chapter 5, who with his wife Sapphira sold property but concealed part of the proceeds from the apostolic community, then fell dead upon confrontation by Peter. The subject—a story of deception, judgment, and instantaneous divine punishment—is unusual within Burne-Jones's output, which tends toward mythology and medieval romance rather than moralistic biblical narrative. Lady Lever Art Gallery holds this canvas from what appears to be a group of related works Burne-Jones produced around 1870 depicting figures from early Christian texts including Azarias and Ananias. The choice of these specific subjects may reflect a particular theological commission or interest in exploring the transition between the Old and New Testament worlds. By 1870 Burne-Jones was establishing himself as a major figure in British painting, and these biblical subjects demonstrate the full range of his narrative ambitions beyond his better-known mythological works.

Oil on canvas with a dramatic subject requiring the depiction of sudden collapse or divine confrontation. Burne-Jones's characteristic restraint of expression would temper the potentially theatrical nature of such a subject; his figure construction maintains elegance even in scenes involving physical extremity.