A female figure dressed in blue holding a palm

Charles Fairfax Murray, an English painter, dealer, collector, benefactor, and art historian, was a notable figure associated with the second wave of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Born on 30 September 1849 in Bow, near London, he was the youngest of four children and spent his formative years in Sudbury, Suffolk. There, he honed his drawing skills, possibly under the tutelage of Gainsborough Dupont, the great nephew of Thomas Gainsborough. At just 12 years old, Murray's talent led him to the drawing office of railway entrepreneurs Peto & Betts, and he was even invited into Sir Samuel Morton Peto's home to create portraits of his family. Discovered by John Ruskin at 16, Murray became Edward Burne-Jones's first studio assistant in 1867, quickly integrating into the Pre-Raphaelite circle around Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Morris, and Philip Webb. His contributions to Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co. included artistic and glass-painting work based on Burne-Jones's designs, as well as illuminating Morris's manuscripts. In 1872, Murray relocated to Italy, where he served as a copyist for Ruskin across Rome, Siena, Pisa, and Venice, deepening his appreciation for Italian masters. Settling in Florence after marrying Angelica Collivichi, he supported his family through his art and contributed to Giovanni Cavalcaselle's 'History of North Italian Painting'. Murray's role extended beyond creation; he acted as an agent for Sir Frederick Burton of the National Gallery and collaborated with Dr. Wilhelm von Bode of Berlin's Gemaldegalerie, alongside London dealer Thomas Agnew, to bring artworks to market. His influence and connections made him a pivotal figure in the art world of his time.