Aaron, from Titus Andronicus 1981

Edwin Austin Abbey made this drawing of Aaron from Titus Andronicus with what looks like graphite on paper. It's a whirlwind of hatched lines, light and dark, all building up to this figure who seems to emerge right out of the page. I'm thinking about Abbey at his desk, his hand moving quickly, trying to capture the essence of Aaron, the Moor. Maybe he’s thinking about the play, about revenge and power, as he’s trying to get the right expression in the eyes, the set of the shoulders. There's a confidence in the lines, but also a kind of searching, like he's figuring it out as he goes. The hatching is particularly visible around the edges of the white cloth and on the ground. He uses these lines not just to define the form, but to give it weight and presence. It reminds me that artists are always in conversation with each other. It is an exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. And in a way, Abbey's drawing is doing the same, giving us a glimpse into a moment of creation and interpretation. Painting allows for multiple interpretations and meaning over fixed readings.