He is regarded as one of the most important American artists. Still, most people don't know his name or his art work. He was featured on PBS' "American Masters." Yet, there was no stir or conversation about his art and biography. Who was this artist who mattered so much and so little all at the same time?
He was Thomas Eakins (1844-1916). (Notice that the dates of his lifetime
coincide with the rise of the avant garde styles of Impressionism and
Cubism.)In spite of the era, Eakins was true to his artistic instincts
and that meant he was "deeply traditional."
Eakins was true to
his believe in the beauty of nature especially the human form. If that
meant going against the tide of popular techniques, so be it. That's not
to say that he turned his back on what was new and exciting. (He was
fascinated with photography and made many inventive contributions to
motion studies.)It was more that Eakins disliked trends and
affectations.
He studied in Paris, Madrid and Seville. As Eakins traveled, he gained an appreciation of classical painters from earlier times whose portraitures explored the personality of the model.
Eakins' method was to paint portraits very slowly and meticulously.
He spoke very little to his model. Most often, the person posing would
relax and drop any facade. These portraits rendered a psychological
realism not appreciated at the time - especially with all the interest
in the new art movements. However, the passage of time changes many
things.
Today, in the world of art, Eakins is highly regarded. In 1964, Tom Canaday, art critic for the New York Times wrote:
Today
he seems to us to have recorded his fellow Americans with a perception
that was often as tender as it was vigorous, and to have preserved for
us the essence of an American life which, indeed, he did not
idealize--because it seemed to him beautiful beyond the necessity of
idealization.
All of the images on this blog are his paintings. What do you think of his work? Did you already know his name and art?
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