Hamlet; ‘Why look you there! look how it steals away – out at the portal!’ Act III, Scene iv, Hamlet 1902

Editor: Edwin Austin Abbey's charcoal drawing, "Hamlet; ‘Why look you there! look how it steals away – out at the portal!’ Act III, Scene iv, Hamlet" from 1902, is arresting. The stark contrast of light and shadow lends it a ghostly, dramatic quality. What formal elements stand out to you in this composition? Curator: The most striking formal device is, as you observe, the dramatic chiaroscuro. Notice how the light isolates and defines the faces and hands, creating a focal point that contrasts against the deep shadows of the figures' attire and the background. Consider how Abbey has employed line to delineate form versus massing tonal values to create volume. Editor: I hadn’t thought of the use of line versus tone so distinctly. I see how the faces are much more reliant on line work for their detail. Why that choice, do you think? Curator: Perhaps to differentiate between the ephemeral and the material, underscoring the psychological drama unfolding. Furthermore, observe the composition’s asymmetry and dynamic tension. The off-center placement of the figures and Hamlet's gesture create a visual imbalance that contributes to the overall unease. It begs the question, how does this calculated imbalance engage with the narrative content of Shakespeare’s play? Editor: That makes me see the direction Hamlet is pointing as almost destabilizing the whole picture. I was so caught up in their expressions. It is like the instability of the play itself is being communicated formally through the arrangement of shapes. I’ll need to spend more time analyzing how those formal choices contribute to my experience of narrative art. Curator: Indeed. By analyzing these formal strategies we unveil layers of meaning inherent in the artwork, beyond its surface narrative. Every element is a constructed part of the work. Editor: I agree. Thank you! This has offered me a great lens through which to examine narrative painting.