Thomas Eakins

Biography

Thomas Cowperthwait Eakins (1844–1916) was an American artist, photographer, sculptor, and art teacher, born and died in Philadelphia. He is considered one of the foremost representatives of realism in American painting and a pioneer in portrait painting, genre scenes, nudes, and figure studies. His oeuvre includes painting and photography. Among his most well-known works are The Gross Clinic, The Champion Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull), The Swimming Hole, The Chess Players, and Miss Amelia Van Buren. Eakins is recognized as one of the most important American artists of his time, significantly contributing to the development of the realist style within American culture.