Edwin Austin Abbey

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Edwin Austin Abbey, drawn by John Singer Sargent in 1888

Edwin Austin Abbey (April 1, 1852 – August 1, 1911) was an American artist, illustrator, and painter. His most famous work, The Quest of the Holy Grail, resides in the Boston Public Library.

Though born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he moved to England in 1878. The aforementioned work was finished in 1902 and is quintessential of his subject - historical (or pseudo-historical in this case). Another of his works marks the coronation of King Edward VII in the same year. It was the official painting of the occasion and, hence, resides at Buckingham Palace.

In 1908-1909, Abbey painted a number of murals and other artworks for the rotunda of the new Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His works in that building include allegorical medallions representing Science, Art, Justice, and Religion, as well as large murals underneath the Capitol dome.

His work is melodramatic to modern eyes - though he was also a political illustrator for the journal Harper's Weekly.

Works by Abbey

Image:The Play Szene in “Hamlet”.jpg|The play scene in Hamlet, oil on canvas, 1897 Image:Anne Hutchinson on Trial.jpg|Anne Hutchinson on Trial, 1901 Image:SpiritofLight.JPG|Spirit of Light, Pennsylvania State Capitol rotunda, Harrisburg Image:AllegoryofScience.JPG|Allegorical medal of Science, Pennsylvania State Capitol, Harrisburg

External links

[Jim Vadeboncoeur's biography of Edwin Austin Abbey]

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