Study of the captive virtues, for ‘The Castle of the Maidens’ 1989

Edwin Austin Abbey made this study for ‘The Castle of the Maidens’ using pencil and pastel. Look at how he lays down marks, hatching strokes of peach and yellow to describe the figures’ gowns. For Abbey, like many artists, artmaking was a journey, not just about the final image. The texture here is really interesting. The paper has this soft, grey tone, and the pastels sit on top, kind of chalky and delicate. You can almost feel the powdery residue on your fingertips! See the figure on the left? The way Abbey uses white pastel to suggest the folds and drapes of her veil is just gorgeous. It’s like he’s capturing a fleeting moment, a breath of air. That veil isn’t just fabric, it’s a symbol of something, mystery, perhaps. Abbey’s work reminds me a little of Puvis de Chavannes, that feeling of classical romanticism. But really, all art is a big conversation, isn’t it? And this piece, with all its softness and subtle color, shows how one artist can take the past and make it new. The beauty of art is in the questions it asks, not the answers it gives.