Unidentified Shakespeare scene 

Edwin Austin Abbey painted this unidentified Shakespeare scene using watercolor and pencil on paper. Watercolors allow for the delicate layering of translucent pigments, each stroke mingling with the underlying paper. The thinness of the paint creates a sense of immediacy, almost as if the scene is unfolding before our eyes. The artist's hand is evident, from the initial pencil sketch of figures on the right, to the washes of color that bring the characters to life. The fabrics of their garments, rendered with subtle gradations of tone, feel almost tangible. But let’s consider how the materials shape our understanding of the scene. Paper, pencil, and watercolor were commercially manufactured and sold as fine art supplies. They were made widely available due to the industrial revolution. So the making of this painting is directly tied to the rise of manufacturing, distribution, and consumption.