The Blessing Angel

In the final Epilogue, Prior, Louis, Belize, and Hannah sat on the rim of the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. That was one of the most memorable shots in the HBO series for me. These four characters sit under the giant statues of an angel, surrounded by the wings of the angel. This angel is a sculpture by the lesbian sculptor Emma Stebbins. Emma Stebbins was openly part of the LGBTQ+ community. She sculpted this artwork based on a biblical story. It is an angel holding a lily, blessing the water with healing power. Back in the day when the queer community is strongly looked down upon. Central Park became an important spot for the gay community to hang out and meet. By setting the final act in the central park in front of the angel, the play linked itself together by referencing this important artwork.

read more about the artist: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/obituaries/emma-stebbins-overlooked.html

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  1. I have SOME THOUGHTS about this, as you might expect! 🙂 Thanks for this post — it’s a great entryway into a conversation about the play’s many angels.

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