Sketch of four men in medieval dress at a table – unidentified illustration, possibly for ‘Love’s Labours Lost’, The King’s Quandary. 1986

Edwin Austin Abbey sketched these four men in medieval dress at a table, possibly as an illustration for ‘Love’s Labours Lost’. The men are gathered around a table, heads inclined in what seems to be an intense discussion. The motif of men in counsel is an ancient one. Consider classical depictions of philosophers in discourse, or even the Last Supper. This image taps into our collective memory of such scenes, of pivotal moments of deliberation and decision-making. Note the hand gesture of the man on the left. The extension of his arm can be traced back to classical oratory, a gesture intended to persuade. The table around which they gather is, itself, a symbol. From the Arthurian Round Table to the tables of modern boardrooms, it signifies a space of negotiation and power. The figures evoke a sense of timelessness, reminding us that the dynamics of power and discourse are perpetual.