The Stroll by Gertrude Abercrombie (Interpretation and Analysis)

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The Stroll
Source: Smithsonian American Art Museum

When you think of October and Halloween, what do you picture?

In The Stroll—a deceptively simple painting executed by American artist Gertrude Abercrombie—we see a tall woman dressed completely in black walking along a path lit by moonlight with a black cat by her side. Where she is going and why she is taking a stroll in the middle of the night is unclear. However, if The Stroll doesn’t bring to mind the subtle creepy and spookiness of October, I don’t know what will.

In my imagination, the woman in The Stroll is a witch of immense power, walking a lonely and difficult path that brings inner strength and profound magic. But, that’s probably my literary imagination running away with me.

In actuality, it is probably more sensible to interpret this wonderfully witchy painting as a metaphor for life and all the troubles it brings. The woman in the painting walks along with her back straight and her head held high, the picture of strength facing adversity. A single black cloud drifts above her head, a traditional symbol of hardship. The empty landscape, populated only by a single tree emphasizes her loneliness, but also highlights her strength. The woman in the painting might live a difficult life, but she lives it with dignity, and with a faithful cat by her side.

The gloomy subject of The Stroll is typical of Abercrombie’s style. Called the Queen of the Bohemian Artists, Abercrombie painted scenes inspired by the sounds of her jazz musician friends. The style of her work is halfway between Realism and Surrealism and is rich in emotional and psychological symbolism. According to my research, Abercrombie’s work is typically full of barren, simplistic landscapes, mysterious symbolism, and serious-faced women with unfathomable expressions.

Today, Abercrombie’s reserved style puts the spook in spooky season!

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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