Knitting
Modeled 1882–83, cast c. 1886
Medium
Painted plaster
Dimensions
47 × 38.2 cm (18 1/2 × 15 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
53104
Art Historical Context
Thomas Eakins' *Knitting*, modeled between 1882 and 1883 and cast around 1886, is a captivating painted plaster sculpture measuring 47 × 38.2 cm. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts the Americas department, this work exemplifies Eakins' mastery in capturing everyday moments with unflinching realism. Unlike his more famous oil paintings of athletes and rowers, this piece ventures into sculpture, showcasing his versatility as a late 19th-century American. Eakins, a pioneer of Realism, drew from his background in anatomy and photography to infuse his works with precise observation and ...
About the Artist
Thomas Eakins · 1844–1916
Thomas Eakins (1844-1916) was an American painter, photographer, and educator who carried 19th-century American Realism to its highest achievement. Based in Philadelphia throughout his life, he created uncompromising portraits and genre scenes that depicted American life with a scientific precision and psychological depth unprecedented in his time. Born into an educated Philadelphia family, Eakin...