"King Lear," Act I, Scene I

Edwin Austin Abbey

1898 · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

Multitalented Edwin Austin Abbey, a Philadelphia-born illustrator, painter, and muralist, is best known for his historical imagery, especially Arthurian and Shakespearean subjects. A popular member of expatriate artistic circles, Abbey first visited England in 1878, and settled there permanently in 1882. In this dramatic scene from King Lear, Cordelia—Shakespeare’s heroine in the tragedy—stands at the center of the composition, having just been renounced by her father in the play’s opening scene.

Artist

Edwin Austin Abbey

Date

1898

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of George A. Hearn, 1913