"ODE TO EAKINS - PART III"

"Ed in a Single Scull"

10" X 16"

Oil on Panel by me

"Max Schmitt in a Single Scull"

1871 by Thomas Eakins

Oil on Canvas 32" X 46"

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City

Now do you see what got me going??!!!

The pose, the light, the city in the background.

I just couldn't resist. 

Shortly after his return from studies in Europe in July 1870, 

Eakins began to paint rowing pictures. 

The Max Schmitt rowing painting was the reason for this quest. 

Although few critical voices actively promoted Eakins' vision, 

the sheer steadiness of his quest to center his art on the 

accurate portrayal of the human figure 

won him a position in the art world.

I painted this in one day 

but it took 2 more days to finish. 

"PART II - ODE TO EAKINS"

DETAIL

DETAIL

"Eakins revolutionized art instruction. Instead of drawing from

plaster casts, he required students to draw the nude from life,

studying its motion and anatomy. The idea was ahead of its

time: when he insisted on a class of both men and women drawing

from what a newspaper called "the absolute nude,"

Eakins was fired in disgrace. Professional careers were

closed to women and blacks, he encouraged them to study art. 

One of his pupils, Henry O. Tanner(1859-1937), 

became the first important black painter and the most

successful black American artist 

before Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence."

Drawing from life is difficult, frustrating and rewarding.

Thanks for following it should become clear in part III.

"PART I - ODE TO EAKINS"

My brother sent me a photo and it triggered a memory 

of the painter Thomas Eakins. This painting will be in 3 parts

Painting dimensions 10" X 16"

Each day I'll give a little background on 

Eakins(pronounced AY kins; 1844-1916)

Quotes are taken from The Annotated Mona Lisa

"When Eakins decided to paint a crucifixion, he strapped his

model to a cross. His first concern was to get the anatomy right.

To learn anatomy, he dissected cadavers and became 

so knowledgeable on the subject he lectured to medical students. 

He plotted out the perspective of his paintings with mathematical precision."

"I hate affectation," he wrote. 

"I am learning to make solid, heavy work."

I had not thought about Eakins for years - to tell the truth he's kind of

a blip on the screen in the art world. Most of my art history books

devote a paragraph to Eakins nothing more. 

Also, I'm not comparing myself in any way to his artistic ability.

This is fun for me and I learn something new in the process.

Thanks for following!