Composition with Four Figures [recto and verso] c. 1805

Washington Allston created this pen and brown ink drawing, titled "Composition with Four Figures," in the United States. The artwork presents a kneeling figure being confronted by four standing figures. It speaks to the popular 19th-century themes of morality, faith, and justice. Allston was deeply invested in the philosophy of art institutions. He believed that art was at its best when it was a public service, and he was fascinated by the moral power of narrative painting. The theatrical presentation of the figures suggests the influence of the popular stage on the visual arts. The references to morality and justice may also reflect Allston's abolitionist views, using the guise of biblical painting to speak to contemporary audiences. To understand Allston's work, one must consider the social and intellectual context in which it was made, and analyze the way its meanings have changed as viewers' understanding of the world has evolved.