Thomas Eakins
1844–1916 · Realism · 14 works
Thomas Eakins brought the study of anatomy, perspective, and photography to an art centered on people. After training in Paris and visiting Spain, he returned to Philadelphia in 1870 and made familiar lives his principal subject. Rowers, musicians, relatives, and fellow artists appear absorbed in demanding work or quiet thought. His commitment to drawing from the body also shaped his teaching. Preparatory studies show the effort behind the finished pictures: the placement of a limb, a tool, or a boat can establish both physical action and the structure of the surrounding space.
14 works · 1869–1899
Compare a rowing scene with a seated portrait. How do the hands and the direction of the gaze explain what occupies each person?
