Study for General Meade 1994

Edwin Austin Abbey made this study of General Meade with oil on paper. What hits me first is the economy of the marks, each one loaded with intention. The strokes are fat and juicy, laid down with confidence, and the color palette is limited to browns, grays, and creams. There's a beautiful tension between the areas that are fully described and those left to suggestion. Look at the beard, for instance. It’s a flurry of activity, a patchwork of short, directional strokes that somehow coalesce into the idea of a beard, rather than a literal depiction of one. And the way the white paint sits on the bridge of the nose, catching the light - it’s so simple, yet so effective in conveying form and volume. This reminds me of some of Manet’s portraits, where he would block in forms with these bold, assertive strokes, leaving areas unfinished. Abbey is pushing at the boundaries of representation and abstraction. It's all about the push and pull, the conversation between what's there and what's implied.