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"King Lear," Act I, Scene I

1898
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 770
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.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: "King Lear," Act I, Scene I
  • Artist: Edwin Austin Abbey (American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1852–1911 London)
  • Date: 1898
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 54 1/4 x 127 1/4 in. (137.8 x 323.2 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of George A. Hearn, 1913
  • Object Number: 13.140
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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