The Red Bed

The Red Bed, in which Burges died on 20 April 1881

The Red Bed is a piece of painted furniture designed by the English architect and designer William Burges^[1] made between 1865 and 1867. Built of mahogany, painted blood red and decorated with imagery of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale,^[1] it was made for Burges's rooms at Buckingham Street, and later moved to his bedroom at The Tower House, the home he designed for himself in Holland Park. Burges wanted to fill his home with furniture covered with paintings, both ornaments and subjects; it not only did its duty as furniture, but spoke and told a story.^[2] Burges died in the bed, aged 53, on 20 April 1881.^[3]

The bed is now part of the collection of Burges furniture at the The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum in Bedford.^[2]

Notes

References

• Crook, J. Mordaunt (2013). William Burges and the High Victorian Dream. Francis Lincoln. ISBN 978-0-7112-3349-2. 
• U K Stationery Office (2011). Export of Objects of Cultural Interest 2010/11: 1 May 2010 - 30 April 2011. The Stationery Office. ISBN 978-0-10-851100-4. 

The buildings and works of William Burges Castles, houses and colleges Cardiff Castle Castell Coch Gayhurst House Knightshayes Court Maison Dieu, Dover Milton Court Oakwood Hall Park House, Cardiff Skilbeck's Warehouse The Tower House Treverbyn Vean Trinity College Long Walk Worcester College, Oxford Churches All Saints Church, Fleet Church of Christ the Consoler Church of St John the Baptist, Outwood Church of St Nicholas, Charlwood Church of St Peter, Carrigrohane Church of St. John, Cumnock Church of St Margaret of Antioch, Darenth Holy Trinity Church, Templebreedy St Michael and All Angels Church, Lowfield Heath Church of All Saints, Murston Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral St Mary's, Studley Royal St Michael's Church, Brighton Waltham Abbey Church Furniture Golden Bed Great Bookcase Narcissus washstand The Red Bed Zodiac settle