Knitting
1881
Medium
plaster
Dimensions
overall (oval): 46.99 × 37.78 × 8.26 cm (18 1/2 × 14 7/8 × 3 1/4 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase)
Accession Number
2014.136.258
Art Historical Context
Thomas Eakins' *Knitting* (1881) is a delicate plaster relief sculpture, measuring an intimate oval of 46.99 × 37.78 × 8.26 cm. As a leading figure in American Realism, Eakins captured everyday life with unflinching precision, often drawing from photography and anatomical study to achieve lifelike depth. This work, now part of the Corcoran Collection at the National Gallery of Art exemplifies his rare foray into sculpture, shifting from his renowned paintings to three-dimensional form. Crafted in plaster—a versatile medium favored for its ability to retain fine details and serve as a model fo...
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...