The Three Marys c. 1906 - 1911

Curator: I’m struck by the profound sense of grief emanating from this oil painting. It’s an emotionally charged scene, almost suffocatingly so. Editor: Indeed. We're looking at "The Three Marys" by Edwin Austin Abbey, likely created between 1906 and 1911. Abbey was known for his murals and historical subjects, often commissioned for public spaces. Curator: Historical and grand it certainly seems, but these shrouded figures practically blend into the stark, almost lunar landscape. They look utterly defeated. Their cloaks hide not just their forms, but perhaps their very identities. Editor: That covering acts as a potent visual symbol. Veils are powerful cultural artifacts – indicators of modesty, mourning, and here, perhaps a deliberate obscuring of the individual to amplify collective sorrow. In much religious art, the figures surrounding Christ are depicted with great symbolism and emotional power. Abbey builds on that long history of visual rhetoric. Curator: This particular portrayal steers clear of overt religious iconography, focusing more on a universal depiction of grief. We see loss etched in posture. One woman’s head is tilted up towards the sky as if pleading, while another hides her face entirely. What strikes me is how their gestures of grief connect across cultures. Editor: That resonance speaks to the visual language of sorrow. While Abbey was an American artist painting at the turn of the century, these figures feel timeless. We can connect them not just to artistic traditions but across human history and experience. Did Abbey's personal life at all intersect the making of the work and infuse it? Curator: We know he struggled with health issues during this period, which may account for the preoccupation with mortality here. It seems likely to bleed into the artwork. I feel an incredible, and somewhat quiet power coming from this tableau of mourning. Editor: A quiet power that endures. Exploring Abbey’s portrayal through its symbols allows a fresh view of not just Abbey's composition but on humanity's understanding of grief over the ages.