How did Dante Gabriel Rossetti influence Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris?

Dante Gabriel Rossetti exerted a profound influence on Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris after meeting them in 1856, effectively initiating a second phase of the Pre-Raphaelite movement.1

His influence manifested in several key ways:

• Artistic Direction: Rossetti persuaded Morris to abandon architecture for painting. Both Burne-Jones and Morris worked under Rossetti’s direct guidance after moving to London.23
• Thematic Shift: He redirected their focus away from the original Pre-Raphaelite emphasis on "truth to nature" toward a romanticized, legendary past, particularly Arthurian legend.1
• Expansion into Crafts: Rossetti’s magnetic personality and collaborative projects—such as the ambitious, though technically unsuccessful, mural decorations at the Oxford Union—encouraged his disciples to expand the scope of art to include the applied arts and design.1
• Founding a Firm: This collaborative spirit culminated in the 1861 founding of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Company, an association of "fine art workmen" that included Rossetti, Burne-Jones, and Morris, laying the groundwork for the revival of the artist-craftsman ideal.123