Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911) [H NRA 1884-1911]
American-English golden age illustrator, engraver & painter ;
E. A. Abbey ; Edwin A. Abbey ; E.A. Abbey ;
[Born in April 1, 1852 in Philadelphia, PA – died August 1, 1911 in London, England]

SAL record control number: 63464 ;

Record level: Person ;

Record type: Artist ;

Biography:

Birth: April 1, 1852 in Philadelphia, PA ;
Death: August 1, 1911 in London, England ;
Sex: Male ;
Ethnicity: White ;
Zodiac: Aries ;

Known for: Genre ; history painting ; illustrations ; mural painting ;
Medium: pen and ink ; oil ; watercolor ; colored pencil ; mixed-media ; gouache ;
Technique: painting ; drawing ; etching ;
Subjects: Renaissance England ; Shakespearean themes ; medieval costume scenes ; literary allusions ;

Areas: Brandywine, PA ; England before 1900 ; Europe ; Expatriate from USA or Canada ; Italy before World War I ; Paris studied and/or worked before 1900 ; Venice, Italy ; Virginia before 1900 ;
Region: North Eastern ; European ;
Lived:
Father:
Mother: 
Relatives:
Spouse: Mary Gertrude (Mead) Abbey, married 1890 ;
Children: 

Training: private Philadelphia studio of Isaac L. Williams (1817-1895) ; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under Christian Schussele (1824-1879) ; Munich under Wilhelm Von Diez (1839-1907) ;
Instructors: Isaac L. Williams (1817-1895) ; Christian Schussele (1824-1879) ; Wilhelm Von Diez (1839-1907) ;
Work: Van Ingen & Snyder, publisher, Philadelphia, PA, apprentice draftsman ; Harper’s Weekly, New York, NY, illustrator ; Harper & Brothers publishing company, New York, NY, illustrator ;

Taught:
Students:

Member: American Water Color Society, elected ; Tile Club, founding member ; Royal Institute of the Painters in Water Colour, 1883 ; Royal Academy, 1898 ; National Academy of Design, New York, NY, associate academician, 1901 ; Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Birmingham, England, elected ; Bath Society of Artists, elected president, 1904 ; American Academy of Arts and Letters, elected member, 1905 ; Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, honorary member (1884-1911) ;
Exhibited with: American Water Color Society ; Royal Academy, 1885 ; Royal Institute of the Painters in Water Colour ; Fine Arts Society, London ; Salmagundi Club, New York, NY (1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1884, 1887) ; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA (1879, 1887, 1899, 1902, 1903, 1905) ; National Academy of Design, New York, NY (1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1899, 1902, 1903, 1905) ; Brooklyn Art Association, Brooklyn, NY (1884) ;
Awards: Yale University, Master of Arts degree, honorary ; University of Pennsylvania, PA, honorary degree ; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, gold medal of honor ; King Edward VII, official court painter ;

Milestones: began painting in oil at age 40 ; influenced by Pre-Raphaelites ;  worked with John Singer Sargent and the French artist and decorator, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, to provide a series of decorations for the Boston Public Library, 1890, 15 panels, legend of King Arthur and the Holy Grail ; physical exhaustion breakdown, 1906 ; Royal Academy exhibition of 300 works after his death, 1911 ; 2,000 of Abbey’s paintings, pastels, drawings,and prints donated to the Yale University Art Gallery ;

Notes: 

Edwin Austin Abbey (April 1, 1852 – August 1, 1911) was a prominent American illustrator and artist known for his genre, history painting, illustrations, and mural painting. He was born in Philadelphia, PA and passed away in London, England.

Abbey began his artistic training in the private studio of Isaac L. Williams (1817-1895) in Philadelphia before studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under Christian Schussele (1824-1879). He later traveled to Munich to study under Wilhelm Von Diez (1839-1907).

Abbey began his career as an apprentice draftsman for the publisher Van Ingen & Snyder in Philadelphia before becoming an illustrator for Harper’s Weekly and Harper & Brothers publishing company in New York. He was known for his depictions of Renaissance England, Shakespearean themes, medieval costume scenes, and literary allusions.

Abbey was a member of several prestigious art societies, including the American Water Color Society, the Tile Club (which he was a founding member of), the Royal Institute of the Painters in Water Colour, the Royal Academy, the National Academy of Design, the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, the Bath Society of Artists (where he was elected president in 1904), the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Salmagundi Club.

Abbey’s works were exhibited extensively in the United States and Europe and he was awarded several honors, including an honorary Master of Arts degree from Yale University, an honorary degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a gold medal of honor from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the title of official court painter from King Edward VII.

He began painting in oil at the age of 40 and was influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite movement. He collaborated with John Singer Sargent and the French artist and decorator, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, to provide a series of decorations for the Boston Public Library in 1890, which consisted of 15 panels depicting the legend of King Arthur and the Holy Grail. Abbey suffered a physical breakdown in 1906 and passed away in 1911. After his death, a Royal Academy exhibition of 300 of his works was held and 2,000 of his paintings, pastels, drawings, and prints were donated to the Yale University Art Gallery.

Artworks: