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Introduction
Edwin Austin Abbey’s Who Is Sylvia? What Is She That All the Swains Commend Her? is a masterful confluence of poetic inspiration, Pre-Raphaelite aesthetics, and narrative painting. Completed in 1899, this visually sumptuous work draws its title and inspiration from a song in William Shakespeare’s play The Two Gentlemen of Verona, transforming literary verse into vivid pictorial drama.
Abbey’s painting reflects both his profound love of literature and his exceptional skill in historical and costume painting. Through its theatrical composition, richly textured fabrics, and compelling cast of characters, the artwork offers more than a simple visual reference to a play—it becomes a meditation on beauty, courtship, performance, and idealization.
This in-depth analysis explores the painting’s literary roots, artistic influences, compositional dynamics, symbolism, and cultural significance, highlighting Abbey’s position as one of the most sophisticated illustrators of the late 19th century.
The Artist: Edwin Austin Abbey
Edwin Austin Abbey (1852–1911) was an American artist who built much of his career in England. Known for his illustrative interpretations of Shakespeare, Tennyson, and Robert Herrick, Abbey became a leading figure in the realm of narrative art. He moved fluidly between fine art and book illustration, and his works are noted for their literary fidelity, period accuracy, and romantic sensibility.
A close associate of John Singer Sargent and a member of the Royal Academy, Abbey’s paintings are celebrated for their technical brilliance, architectural detail, and lush textures. Who Is Sylvia? stands out as one of his most iconic and enduring works, exemplifying the maturity of his style and his ability to transform poetic ideas into compelling visual form.
Literary Context: Shakespeare’s Sylvia
The painting’s title quotes directly from a lyrical passage in The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Act IV, Scene II), in which the character Proteus commissions a song in praise of Sylvia, the noblewoman whom he idealizes:
“Who is Silvia? What is she,
That all our swains commend her?
Holy, fair, and wise is she;
The heavens such grace did lend her,
That she might admired be.”
These lines are a quintessential example of Elizabethan poetic idealization of women, casting Sylvia as a divine figure worthy of universal praise. Abbey interprets this sentiment quite literally: his painting presents a radiant woman in the center of attention, surrounded by courtiers and musicians, embodying the elevated beauty described in the verse.
Rather than depicting a specific scene from the play, Abbey creates an allegorical interpretation of the poem itself. Sylvia becomes an icon of virtue, beauty, and grace—a personification of the poetic muse.
Composition and Setting
The composition is staged like a tableau vivant, or living picture, with Sylvia centrally placed and framed by a colonnade on the right and a crowd of attendants and minstrels on the left. The setting appears to be a Renaissance court or hall, rendered with architectural precision and theatrical flair.
Sylvia stands erect, hands gracefully poised within her elaborate gown, exuding serenity and poise. Her pale face and light dress contrast with the deeper reds, browns, and blacks that dominate the rest of the canvas. The eye is immediately drawn to her, the focal point of the composition, as every other figure either looks at her or gestures in her direction.
The figures are arranged with careful asymmetry. To the left, richly dressed attendants and musicians surround her, some in adoration, others in observant stillness. To the right, a young courtier leans against a classical column, hat in hand, gazing at Sylvia with quiet longing—possibly representing Proteus or the archetypal suitor.
Behind Sylvia, a minstrel in crimson plays a lute, reinforcing the musical and poetic origins of the scene. Every element—the drapery, the carpeting, the carved column—reinforces the sense of luxurious reverence.
Costume and Texture
Abbey was famous for his exquisite attention to costume and historical authenticity. In Who Is Sylvia?, the clothing plays a crucial role in conveying social hierarchy, personality, and emotional atmosphere. Sylvia’s white gown is embroidered with gold and adorned with a pendant cross, signifying her noble and pure character. The fullness of the sleeves, the soft folds of the fabric, and the delicate trimming all contribute to the painting’s textural richness.
Her attendants wear a variety of Elizabethan-style garments in reds, blacks, and brocades. The diversity of materials—velvet, fur, lace, satin—is rendered with astonishing realism. Abbey’s brushwork in these areas is both intricate and fluid, managing to capture the tactile qualities of fabric and the subtle play of light on texture.
This meticulousness is not mere decoration—it serves to emphasize the contrast between Sylvia’s ethereal presence and the worldly sumptuousness that surrounds her.
Light and Color
The lighting in Who Is Sylvia? is soft and theatrical, reminiscent of a spotlight on a stage. Sylvia is illuminated from the front and slightly above, highlighting her face and bodice while casting subtle shadows on her sleeves and skirt. This dramatic lighting enhances her status as the central figure and gives the entire scene a quiet reverence, almost sacred in tone.
The background is kept dark, allowing the foreground figures to stand out in higher chromatic contrast. The use of red—most notably in the rich garments of the musicians—adds intensity and passion to the scene, while cooler tones in the columns and floor provide balance.
The dominant contrast between Sylvia’s white dress and the deeper, richer hues around her mirrors the thematic tension between purity and desire, distance and admiration.
Symbolism and Interpretation
Abbey’s painting is not simply a depiction of a Shakespearean character—it is a visual meditation on idealization and feminine virtue. Sylvia stands not only as a noblewoman admired by courtiers, but as a muse or divine presence. Her stillness, symmetry, and frontal gaze suggest timelessness and otherworldliness.
The title’s question, “Who is Sylvia?” is rhetorical. She is less a woman than a symbol—holy, fair, and wise, as Shakespeare’s poem insists. Abbey refrains from over-romanticizing her expression; she looks out at the viewer with calm composure, neither coy nor yielding. This restraint gives her dignity and strength.
The male figures around her represent varying degrees of admiration and reverence. Some are absorbed in their instruments, some in contemplation. The man on the right, perhaps a stand-in for the poet, remains apart from the crowd, embodying the contemplative suitor or artist gazing upon his inspiration.
The lute-playing and poetic references also suggest the act of creation: Sylvia is both subject and catalyst for art. In this reading, the painting becomes a self-reflexive work about the role of the artist, the muse, and the transformative power of beauty.
Artistic Influences
Abbey was deeply influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, especially the work of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, and John Everett Millais. Like them, he favored historical subjects, lush detail, and a blend of realism with romanticism.
Who Is Sylvia? also bears the imprint of Renaissance portraiture and Venetian painting. The compositional clarity, the architectural framing, and the refined use of color echo the works of Titian and Veronese. The theatrical staging recalls the pageantry of 16th-century court life, rendered with a 19th-century idealization.
Abbey’s synthesis of literary reference, historical costume, and visual beauty situates him at the intersection of the Pre-Raphaelite tradition and the academic historicism of his time.
Cultural Resonance
In the context of the late 19th century, Abbey’s painting reflects contemporary ideals about femininity, beauty, and virtue. Sylvia is portrayed as the unreachable ideal—a paragon of womanhood seen through the lens of poetic adoration. This reflects Victorian and Edwardian notions of female purity and the romanticization of the muse figure.
Yet, Abbey complicates this ideal by giving Sylvia a dignified, self-possessed expression. She is not passive, but poised—aware of the eyes upon her, yet untouched by their gaze. In this way, the painting anticipates more modern interpretations of femininity, where beauty does not preclude agency or inner strength.
The painting’s continued appeal lies in its blend of narrative, mood, and visual splendor. It speaks to the enduring human fascination with beauty and its power to inspire, command attention, and evoke longing.
Technical Execution
Abbey’s technical precision in Who Is Sylvia? is astonishing. The brushwork is both controlled and expressive, especially in the rendering of textile and architectural surfaces. The depth of shadow is achieved through subtle layering, and the treatment of flesh tones—particularly Sylvia’s pale face and hands—achieves a porcelain-like softness.
The painting’s scale and level of detail invite slow, immersive viewing. It functions both at a distance, where compositional balance dominates, and up close, where fabric textures and facial expressions come to life.
Abbey’s ability to integrate complex figuration, decorative design, and literary homage marks him as one of the great narrative painters of his generation.
Conclusion
Who Is Sylvia? What Is She That All the Swains Commend Her? by Edwin Austin Abbey is a breathtaking fusion of Shakespearean verse and painterly imagination. It captures the romantic ideal of womanhood while offering a nuanced portrayal of admiration, longing, and artistic reverence. Through its theatrical staging, luxurious detail, and poised central figure, the painting invites viewers to contemplate not only Sylvia’s beauty but the very nature of beauty as muse and metaphor.
As both a literary tribute and a standalone masterpiece, the painting continues to captivate modern audiences. It speaks to our timeless fascination with the interplay between poetry and painting, between vision and verse, and between admiration and meaning.