The Death of Mercutio – Act III, Scene I, Romeo and Juliet 1902

Edwin Austin Abbey made this painting, "The Death of Mercutio," capturing a dramatic moment from Romeo and Juliet with expressive brushstrokes and a rich palette of reds and browns. I can almost see Abbey in his studio, layering the paint, figuring out the balance between the figures and the architectural backdrop. I wonder what he was thinking as he depicted the tension and chaos of that scene? The way he rendered Mercutio's collapse, the dramatic red of his clothing against the muted tones of the street—it's all so theatrical! And that gesture of the character on the left with his sword—he has a face like those in paintings by Caravaggio or Gentileschi, all shadow and drama. You can feel the weight of the moment, the irreversible tragedy unfolding. It reminds me of other history paintings, but also, strangely, of the intense emotional narratives I try to build into my own abstract work. I think all artists are just trying to capture these complex human dramas and put them on a canvas, in whatever form. There is this ongoing conversation.