Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and the Lady Anne

After a period in which Edward was deposed and Henry briefly restored as a puppet king, Edward reclaimed the crown, imprisoned Henry, and probably ordered his murder. This act ushered in a short-lived period of peace.

Richard III, depicted here and blamed by Shakespeare for Henry VI’s murder, was Edward IV’s brother. At the time, however, Richard did not yet play a central role in political events and was not the ruthless figure he would later become.

The dramatic courtship scene at the funeral is entirely Shakespeare’s invention. There is no historical record of such an encounter, although Richard did indeed marry Anne Neville about a year later. The two had known each other since childhood.

As for Prince Edward—the son of Henry VI and Anne Neville’s husband—Shakespeare again attributes his murder to Richard. In reality, Prince Edward most likely died in battle against Edward IV. Richard III was present at that battle, but Edward’s death occurred in combat, not as part of a calculated personal crime.

Richard III eventually became king and did, in many respects, live up to his later reputation for ruthlessness. He died in battle against Henry VII, who went on to become the first Tudor king, thus bringing the Wars of the Roses to an end.

Yet the true power of this painting lies not only in the complex historical narrative behind the scene, but also in Abbey’s extraordinary artistic execution.

The composition is rendered with remarkable realism, meticulous detail, and vivid color. Combined with the Shakespearean subject matter, the painting reveals a clear influence from the Pre-Raphaelites, who worked in a similarly detailed and narrative-driven style. Another example of Abbey’s engagement with Shakespearean themes can be seen below:

Historical accuracy was central to Abbey’s practice. He would not begin a painting of this nature without ensuring that every garment, object, and architectural detail was as historically correct as possible.

One of his most ambitious projects was a series of murals for the Boston Public Library, collectively titled The Quest and Achievement of the Holy Grail, inspired by the legend of King Arthur.

Originally, Abbey planned to create a series of murals inspired by major literary works—Homer, Shakespeare, Dante, and others—but for reasons unknown, he ultimately chose the Arthurian legends instead.

A crucial chapter in Abbey’s life was his move to England. Born in the United States, he began his career primarily as an illustrator for newspapers and magazines, depicting contemporary events. Over time, he turned increasingly to historical and literary subjects, recreating scenes from the past with vivid imagination.

While working in England, where he would remain for the rest of his life, Abbey became deeply influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite movement and by oil painting, as exemplified by this Richard III scene.

The Pre-Raphaelites were an English group of painters active for a relatively brief period during the Victorian era. Their work was characterized by intense realism, meticulous detail, and themes drawn from literature, legend, and history—often presenting imagined scenes with the immediacy of everyday life. Consider, for example, the following depiction from the life of Christ: it feels almost like a moment observed in ordinary domestic life.

Their devotion to detail is perhaps most famously demonstrated in Millais’s Ophelia. As noted by Tate, Millais painted the river landscape first, spending nearly five months working long hours each day before adding the figure of Ophelia herself.

Seen in this context, the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites on Abbey’s work becomes clear. He emerges as a significant painter, deeply committed to historical accuracy and narrative richness, and responsible for a body of work that remains both visually striking and intellectually engaging.