Thomas Eakins (1844-1916)
1844,1916Thomas Cowperthwait Eakins (July 25, 1844 – June 25, 1916) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the first child of Caroline Cowperthwait Eakins and Benjamin Eakins, a calligrapher and writing master.
Thomas Eakins Paintings outside this album
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Thomas Cowperthwait Eakins (July 25, 1844 – June 25, 1916) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the first child of Caroline Cowperthwait Eakins and Benjamin Eakins, a calligrapher and writing master. Eakins showed early talent in drawing and perspective, excelling at Central High School in Philadelphia. He later studied anatomy and dissection at Jefferson Medical College (1864–1865) while attending the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA). From 1866 to 1870, he studied art in Europe under Jean-Léon Gérôme and Léon Bonnat at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and admired Spanish realist painters like Velázquez during his travels.
Career Highlights
Eakins returned to Philadelphia in 1869 and began teaching at PAFA in 1878, becoming a professor of painting and drawing by 1879. His insistence on using nude models for teaching caused controversy, leading to his dismissal in 1886. As an artist, he focused on realism, painting portraits of friends, family, and notable figures from Philadelphia’s intellectual circles. He also created large-scale works depicting outdoor activities such as rowing or surgery scenes that emphasized motion and anatomical accuracy. Eakins was an innovator in motion photography and perspective studies.
Artistic Style and Legacy
Eakins is celebrated as one of America’s greatest realist painters. His work often explored themes of truthfulness through detailed depictions of human anatomy and movement. Despite facing scandals during his lifetime that limited his recognition, he is now regarded as “the strongest, most profound realist” of late-19th- to early-20th-century American art.
Personal Life
Eakins married Susan Hannah Macdowell in 1884, a former student at PAFA. He lived most of his life in Philadelphia at his family home on Mount Vernon Street until his death on June 25, 1916.
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used
National Gallery of Art (NGA)
The NGA provides comprehensive biographical details about Thomas Eakins’ life, education, career milestones, artistic style, controversies during his career, and posthumous recognition.Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)
The Met offers insights into Eakins’ contributions to American realism through its collection of his works and scholarly articles discussing his influence on art history.Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)
PAFA highlights Eakins’ role as both a student and teacher at the institution while documenting the controversies surrounding his teaching methods involving nude models.
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