Dulcamara, or the Little Duck and the Great Quack of Scene 1: This scene is based on one in Gilbert's short story, "The Adventures of Wheeler J. Calamity", which he had written for the "Fun Christmas Number" in 1865, with the song following this speech, "If you intend to stay with us, before you've been a day with us", appearing in both. "Dulcamara" was not widely reviewed, but "Fun" magazine – to which Gilbert was a regular contributor – gave it a long and favourable notice, declaring that "Mr W. S. Gilbert at once takes rank for both neatness of construction and brilliancy of dialogue beside Mr. Byron. The
Pygmalion and the Image series strongly evocative of Michelangelo's "Creation" painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the goddess adds colour and sensuality to Pygmalion's austere studio and Galatea's soft flesh. The rich-colour drapery, wrapped suggestively around an intricately carved pole at left, is noticeably absent from the other images in the series. When Pygmalion returns home, he finds that his statue has come to life and humbles himself at her feet. This was not Burne-Jones' only series of pictures: others include "The Briar Rose" series (1885–1890), which was based on Charles Perrault's fairy tale, "Sleeping Beauty" (as retold by the Brothers Grimm), and