A Happy New Year

Abbey employed a combination of graphite sketching followed by pen work, using cross‑hatching to develop tonal variation and depth. The lines are simple and direct, reinforcing the sketch‑like quality of the piece. The torn, jagged margin and irregular lettering contribute to a sense of immediacy, as if the drawing were a personal note rather than a formal study.

The drawing is attributed to Edwin Austin Abbey, an American‑British artist known for his illustrations and historical subjects. The presence of the dual signature suggests a collaborative effort or workshop involvement, though the exact identity of “M.G.” remains uncertain. The work has been catalogued as a drawing from the early twentieth century and is held in a private collection.