The Biglin Brothers Turning the Stake
The Biglin Brothers Turning the Stake, Thomas Eakins (American, 1844 - 1916) 1873
1984.1927
Gallery 16 | American Art: At Home and Abroad, 1850–1900
Rowing was a relatively new sport in the 1870s and one for which Philadelphia quickly acquired a national reputation. In a series of rowing pictures, Eakins celebrated his fellow Philadelphians' athletic endeavors, creating civic icons that depict powerful bodies guided by decisive intellects. This painting commemorates the first American pair-oared scull race, held in Philadelphia on the Schuylkill River in 1872.
While the distant pair of rowers with red bandannas have not yet reached their flag, the foreground pair, John and Barney Biglin, have already rounded theirs. John pushes his oar while Barney pulls to complete the turn, bringing their scull parallel to the shore (and the painting's edge) as they begin the home stretch. Picturing the drama of the moment, Eakins creates a complex balance between a geometrical composition and forms in action.
Images Copyright © the artist, their estate, and/or the Cleveland Museum of Art.
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