Monday, April 6, 2015

Art of the American West. Thomas Eakins. A-Z Challenge


                      Franklin Hamilton Cushing. n.d.  Thomas Eakins 1844-1916.





Frank Cushing was an early anthropologist and Smithsonian ethnologist.  His pioneering studies of the Zuni Indians of New Mexico included "going native" and living with them from 1879-1884.  This painting shows him in full native regalia of his own design.

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Thomas Eakins was born in Philadelphia.  He attended anatomy classes in America and studied art in Paris and Spain.  The realism in his paintings was admired. Photography and sculpture added to his artistic production.  And in his lifetime he produced hundreds of portraits of friends, prominent people in Philadelphia which gave an overview of the intellectual life of Philadelphia in the late 19th and 20th century.  Not limiting himself to the indoors, he also painted large canvases of outdoor life.


He was especially noted for his work as a teacher, highly influential in American art.  Unfortunately, his professional life was tainted by sex scandals, primarily because of his fascination with the human figure and his insistence that nude models be used in his classes and his own works.  There was also the implication that he used a device to project photographs on the canvas which he outlined and then later painted.


Eakins was a controversial figure whose work received little official recognition during his lifetime.  However, some art historians are quoted as saying he was "the strongest, most profound realist in 19th and 20th century art."




14 comments:

  1. I can't say this picture appeals to me. Interesting history of the artist. Isn't it funny, nobody would think twice about nude models today. How things have changed. The costume doesn't conjure up Indians to me which just shows how lacking is my knowledge of them

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  2. Eakins had some wonderful paintings. But my only Western artist for "E." I might do a few after the challenge and show other work. His portraits especially were wonderful.

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  3. I thought a lot of artists of that time period also used nudes.

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    1. Jo and JoJo: I think there was a bit more to it, involvement with young models, perhaps a homo-erotic theme in his paintings of males, all of it and then the conservative era of the time. But as Jo says, no one would think twice about it now.

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  4. I wouldn't fault him if he did use a projection technique.
    I have been enjoying your posts.
    www.thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

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    1. David Hockney wrote a book about earlier artists like Vermeer using some king of projection technique, but you still have to paint the painting, so I agree with you Tami.

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  5. Hello Natasha. I had actually heard of Eakins but didn't know his work so thank you! I like this picture for it's (seemingly) accurate historic interest. I find it quite moving really - sure why. Maybe it's the slightly nervous, forlorn expression of the subject. What does the n.d. mean?
    Listening to the uncompromising, eccentric, late English singer Kevin Coyne's Marlene
    CLICK HERE for Bazza’s fabulous Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. n.d. means no date for the painting. This is not my favorite painting by Eakins, but the only one with a Western theme. This time period in American history created many characters.

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  6. Hi Nat - I hadn't heard of Eakins or his subject Franklin Cushing .. must have been an amazing time to be an anthropologist and Smithsonian ethnologist ... fascinating to find out more about Cushing ..

    Wonderful series .. I'll love seeing these again .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Thanks Hilary. I am learning so much by doing this challenge. There is so much more.

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  7. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Interesting topic! My grandfather was a painter and made his home in NM, so I have several Western themed paintings. He wasn't well known, but he did have talent. Good luck with the challenge!

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    1. Thanks, Joyce. Isn't it wonderful to have paintings by your grandfather in your home? My love, besides my family is art and books, and I do have a few paintings that belonged to my parents and cousin. It makes me feel that I am near them, somehow.

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  8. A beautiful realist painter.

    Good luck with the 2015 A to Z Challenge!
    A to Z Co-Host S. L. Hennessy
    http://pensuasion.blogspot.com

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  9. I've never associated Eakins with Western art, but I guess I don't know much of his work. The projection controversy doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me. I could project an image only a canvas and there would be little artistic results from my efforts even have the images to trace.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

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