Berkeley, costume sketch for Henry Irving’s Planned Production of Richard II 

Curator: Here we have "Berkeley, costume sketch for Henry Irving’s Planned Production of Richard II" by Edwin Austin Abbey. Editor: Immediately I see a sort of medieval futurism—like someone dreamed up what a knight would wear in space! Is it just me, or is there an unexpected lightness to the subject matter? It's more daydream than dark ages. Curator: Well, it’s a sketch, likely from around the turn of the 20th century, using watercolor and ink. Abbey was creating costume designs for a production of Richard II, which gives it that feeling of possibility, of things not yet fixed. And consider the symbolism embedded in knightly imagery. The cross, emblazoned repeatedly on the tunic, certainly resonates with themes of devotion, sacrifice, and moral certitude – qualities idealized in medieval chivalry and used to define national identity, too. Editor: Right! The cross motif jumps out. Is it too irreverent to say it reminds me a bit of fast food branding? I mean, the repeated symbol almost loses its gravitas through sheer multiplication. It feels...designed, in the contemporary sense. Plus, look at the rendering of the armour - its stylized sheen and colour palette hints toward pop culture iterations of this trope. Curator: Perhaps not irreverent, just… observant of cultural drift. The multiplication of the cross is interesting – a statement on the potential dilution of meaning? The artist appears caught between honoring tradition and designing for the modern stage, grappling with evolving perceptions. This figure seems less about pious faith than about visually signifying a historical type. Editor: Precisely! There's this meta-awareness—like the sketch is winking at the audience, saying, "Remember knights? Aren't they… something?" That tension keeps me hooked. What else jumps out to you? Curator: I am intrigued by the helmet which entirely obscures the face of this figure: The symbol that he embodies precedes the personality or individualism. And his physical features hidden further enforce the symbolism inherent in his persona. Editor: Absolutely. It makes me think about masks and identities and how they perform their significance, right on the stage. I feel a slight melancholy; what were the real-life dreams behind the artistic choices? Curator: That melancholy is certainly felt through his presentation, especially how obscured is this symbolic knight that Edwin Abbey crafted! A thoughtful note on which to close our time today!