Two sentries atop a fortress wall 

Editor: Here we have Edwin Austin Abbey's watercolor, "Two sentries atop a fortress wall". It's a simple composition, a high horizon line with two figures standing guard, giving a sense of watchful stillness. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: The sentries, so prominently placed, echo symbolic guardians found throughout art history. They are the boundary figures, watching for threats but also, perhaps, mediating between our world and another. Editor: What "other" world do you mean? Curator: It’s less about a specific afterlife, and more about the space beyond the easily visible. Notice how the artist renders them: the sentry to the left distinct in clothing, but strangely proportioned with almost bulbous britches; his mate even less distinguished beyond being small and far away? One suggests action; the other...watchfulness? Editor: It is curious the way their depiction makes them almost cartoonish. How does this affect the viewer? Curator: By rendering them somewhat comical, Abbey might be commenting on the nature of vigilance, on the potential absurdity of constant preparation for unseen threats. The cannon looms in the near background too: ready to cause action! A culture ready for war! Editor: So the figures and even the cannon speak to a larger narrative? Curator: Precisely! What we see reflects deeper societal anxieties and the ever-present need for protection, real or perceived. Even the muted watercolors soften what could be quite harsh symbols. The artist seems more playful than preachy. Editor: I hadn’t thought of that! It’s amazing how much symbolism can be packed into such a simple scene. Curator: Yes. It makes one question what defenses -internal or external - we maintain. Are those fortifications to help us, or to imprison us?