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From: The Butler Institute of American Art The Lady Anne was painted
in 1899,
several years after the major painting, Richard, Duke of Gloucester and
the Lady Anne was exhibited at the Royal Academy. The Lady Anne cannot,
therefore, be called a study for the larger painting, but might more
aptly
be termed an "afterthought," or a kind of remarque. Looking at this
painting
from the vantage point of today, one would not guess at the historical
or narrative content, and so we must assume that Abbey's motivation in
making the painting was more an abstract interest in composition, and
in
that sense The Lady Anne is closer than most of his other work to fine
art than illustration. The romantic pose is typical of Abbey's work,
but
the dramatic contrast of light and dark are somewhat unusual. The
sinuous
line made by the figure, with the hands as an important focus, reminds
us of Sargent's portrait compositions. The painting lacks the obsessive
historic detail for which Abbey was renowned in his day, but now this
very
lack of interference from details makes this a more accessible and
attractive
example of his work. Notes
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