The Washington herald., 1908-02-09

way. Edwin's father planned a business
career for his son. encouraging him,
meanwhile. in his drawing that he, too,
might fnd peace in il when business
cares came TO him. But one day the
father had his eyes opened when Edwin
sJUrdily declared for an artists career.
Several years later he began his art edu-
cation at the Pennsylvania Academy of
Fine Arts, where from the start he was
looked upon as a most promising stu
dent.
oliver Optic Liked Him.
II was in 1S66. when he was fourteen
years old. that Abbey had the pleasure OF
first seeing some Of his handiwork in
print This was an illustrated rebus
which he had made for Oliver Optics
paper Our Boys and Girls. After that
he frequently had Illustrations in the
paper and SO clever were they that Oil
yer Optic tIr. Adamsj himself took the
trouble TO make the acquaintance of the
youngster, formed a great liking for him,
and lated dedicated a DOOk 10 him
Two years after the appearance of the
rebus Abbey entered a wood engraver's
shop. About the same time he had ac-
cepted by Harper's Weekly, over which
The First Thanksgiving Three years
later he went 10 New York 70 become
"a member of the Weekly's staff. In
the meantime he had studied at the Penn
sylvania Academy Of Fine Arts, acquired
there local reputation for laziness as
well as briliiancy. and had several
sketches accepted by his new employers.
As member of the Weeklys staff
Abbey worked at first for barely enough
10 Keep him in the necessaries Even
aIter ne had acquired ii reputation among
artists and his work was eagerly watch
ed Tor by them from week to week, his
salary was not munificent but every cent
he could spare went into decorations for
his studio, a hobby which has clung 10
him all through his career and accounts
IN large measure for the magnificent
fittings Of his English home. During the
seven years that he was pinned down to
a desk doing black and white for a living
he worked in water colors for recreation.
but not until ne had been abroad for a
year did he receive any decided recogni-
ton in this line.
Abbey made his first trip abroad in Or
der TO get the necessary color" at first
hand for the illustrations he had been
commissioned by Harpers to make for a
j
he set foot on English soil he became
fascinated with the life there. and though
he did not permanently take up his resi-
dence abroad till 1883. since 1875. when he
first saw England he has lived there al
most wholly-fOr his arts sake, he and
his friends declare.
No AnachrOnism,
Though Abbey is a painter of the past.
het has never been guilty Of an anacbro-
nism in his finished product. so far as the
critics are aware. Above all things else
be despises such \ break" To the end
that his paintings may be true of the
times they represent, even in the slightest
detail OF dress,f he has made what is
probably the most wonderful and valu-
able collection of antique habiliments and
accessories known to the modern world Of
art.
He considers time spent in avoiding an
anachronism or undoing one doubly we'll
spent That he might not be guilty of an
anachronism in THE Castle of King Am
phortas' he made a journey to Brittany
simply to sketch and model certain pc
culiar details of architecture; and when
he found that ne had made a slight mis-
take in the heraldic design on the skirt
Of Lady Anne in Richard. Duke of
Gloucester, and the Lady Anne" he did
the skirt all over again.
This passion for minute correctness he
displayed as a boy. Among his first
sketches TO he published was one entitled
Tracking Rabbits He used his brother
and another playmate as models. and so
lnsistent was he that their dress be cor