| Thomas Eakins portrayed his family, his friends, and the accomplished modern
professionals of his native Philadelphia with an unflinchingly truthful eye.
He recorded every facial feature and bodily characteristic with an honesty
that sometimes alienated his patrons. This practice reflected the artist’s unusual
training: He studied not only art, at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
and in France under Jean-Léon Gérôme, but also anatomy,
at Jefferson Medical College and at the Pennsylvania Academy. An influential
teacher
as well, Eakins promoted his dual artistic philosophies at the academy, where
his insistence that his students work from nude models ultimately led to his
dismissal. He also enjoyed music; he hosted and attended formal musical gatherings,
like the one depicted here. . . .
:: Sarah Cash, Bechhoefer Curator of American Art
Corcoran Gallery of Art |
Text excerpted from A Capital Collection: Masterworks from
the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
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:: The Curator's Journals Project
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