Interior Study of Westminster Abbey, for The Coronation of King Edward VII c. 1902

Here we see Edwin Austin Abbey’s preparatory oil study of Westminster Abbey, composed in anticipation of painting ‘The Coronation of King Edward VII’. Abbey, an American expatriate, had been commissioned to record the historic event. At the turn of the century, the coronation of a British monarch was more than a political event. It was a carefully orchestrated spectacle, steeped in tradition, that affirmed national identity and imperial power. Abbey's study reveals the stage upon which this drama would unfold. Through his eyes, we witness the architecture that cradled centuries of royal history. The sketch-like quality evokes a sense of anticipation, as if we are standing on the cusp of witnessing history. And yet, we must remember that such spectacles of power often obscure the lived realities of those excluded from it. Abbey's work invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between power, representation, and the stories that we choose to tell about ourselves as nations.