Thomas Eakins (American, 1844–1916)
Study for "William Rush Carving His Allegorical Figure of the Schuylkill River"
INV-2886
Thomas Eakins (American, 1844–1916)1876–77
Study for "William Rush Carving His Allegorical Figure of the Schuylkill River"
Thomas Eakins (American, 1844–1916) →Realismpaintingamerican arts
Date
1876–77
Medium
Oil on canvas mounted on board
Dimensions
35.9 × 28.6 cm (14 1/8 × 11 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Bequest of Dr. John J. Ireland
Best known for his realist portraits and scenes of contemporary life, Thomas Eakins also spent considerable energy on history paintings. Here, he executed a study for a painting that celebrates an early American sculptor, William Rush. In the finished painting, Rush is depicted carving his Water Nymph and Bittern (1809), for which the model poses; the statue adorned a public square in Philadelphia, the hometown of both artists. Eakins, an ardent advocate of studying from life, highlights this artistic working method in his rendering of the female form. In 1870s America, artistic studies from the nude figure remained a rarity, a condition that Eakins worked hard to overturn in the following years as an instructor at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
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