The artist, Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911) was a Philadelphia illustrator before he moved to England and became involved with the pre-Raphaelite Movement. Famous as a muralist, he received a commission in 1902 to paint murals for the Pennsylvania House and Senate Chambers and the Rotunda.
This study, completed 1904-1908, was for "The Spirit of Vulcan," a mural praising Pennsylvania industry.
Here's the version on the mural.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsP8jytp469RXz_JW5TfuFEErflrOWBTMImOQ5ZKAl9YlERhXbyAoJngiv7m6xPNxJ5RuJCh3BG5tytZOOFpLyPmigbea4Ez4JHy18cbqh_9DnYY7WdfnFhQxwjXHH3nVkezEnwuwjjwg/s320/PaScienceRevealing.jpg)
Here's the completed version.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2ZBQJfEgcAko5frZs69XPYJ90d2LhWWssFZ_bSH0IolnmhT9ZLc5uxOK8hqFfB7TGKx7ciyuGQ-7bn2hw20ITXB5qHN-H1iP9jdkVRtwrGejNjfyxZYWVIYWgirisrWRlWPweCR4Wq0y/s1600/abeey1.jpeg)
Abbey was a friend of gay artist John Singer Sargent, who drew this portrait, and didn't marry until he was in his 40s. Those facts would ordinarily set off my gaydar, except:
There is no other beefcake in Abbey's work, not a single bicep or chest anywhere.
Why he wait until his life was nearly over to express his joy in the male form?
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