From Publishers Weekly
Eakins (1844-1916) painted portraits of scientists, surgeons, writers, teachers, musicians and sportsmen, figures who, as Wilmerding notes, "all relied on the sensitive coordination of intelligence and action, of mind and body, of brain and hands." In this rewarding catalogue of an exhibition at London's National Portrait Gallery, essays by 30 scholars provide fresh perspectives on the American realist's uncompromising vision. Eakins often projected his own anxieties and feelings into his pictures, as in a remarkably candid portrait of his wife Susan Macdowell, or the devastating images of patrons who appear vain and heartless. His portraits of female nudes, Roman Catholic clerics, his favorite sister Margaret, African American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner and Walt Whitman reflect the diverse interests of this anti-impressionist. Wilmerding is professor of American art at Princeton. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Eakins's subjects gaze intently at the world before them and, even more so, at their inner visions. These are the "warts and all" of the soul of Philadelphia society in the aftermath of the Civil War. Published on the occasion of a unique show at the National Portrait Gallery in London, the first there of a "great foreign artist who did not practise in (indeed never visited) this country," this work is the most complete study available of a provocative and penetrating genius. It combines the talents and insights of 30 Eakins scholars in its examination of the paintings and in recently rediscovered photographs by the artist. The discussion of Eakins's great interest in photography and its impact upon his work provides an added dimension to these insights. With excellent illustrations and an extensive bibliography, this scholarly work is an outstanding resource for all art libraries.- Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New YorkCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
At first glance, Eakins' luminous and "consummate realist" paintings appear to be calm, dignified, and even clinical, but in fact, they are brilliantly nuanced, moody, and alive with conflict and contrast. Eakins' turbulent career was explored with great candor and detail in William Innes Homer's fine 1992 biography, but this volume's set of essays and lush reproductions further extends our understanding of the relationship between Eakins' personality and his work. Both commentary and plates focus strictly on Eakins' portraits, inspiring discussions that embrace not only Eakins' aesthetics and deliberate defiance of the conventions of portraiture, but also his interpretations of relationships and social mores. Essay topics include the "tensions of biography and art" in Eakins' paintings; how his work relates to the work of his European contemporaries; Eakins' pioneering use of photography; and the critical reception of his work, both during his lifetime and posthumously. The catalog portion covers some 50 works. Donna Seaman

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In his lifetime, Eakins's artistic reputation suffered from his uncompromising attitude toward convention in art, teaching and society. Now he is acknowledged as one of the greatest of all American painters. Thomas Eakins assesses the full breadth of his genius in its American and European context. The turmoil of his career and his extraordinary authority as a painter are explored through his vivid and often haunting portraits of his family and contemporaries. Eakins's strong commitment to the development of a uniquely American art never wavered, although his painting was influenced and informed by his studies in Paris and his admiration for Velazquez and Ribera. He devoted his career to creating a penetrating series of portraits of professional and artistic society in Philadelphia. Edited by John Wilmerding, Thomas Eakins is an epitome of our present understanding of this profound and highly original artist and embraces the full scope of Eakins studies today. Thirty scholars currently working on Eakins examine individual paintings or groups of paintings in a series of essays, and the results of their most recent research are published here for the first time. While focusing in detail on the most important paintings of Thomas Eakins, the book also discusses the considerable impact of photography on his work, and reproduces for the first time a series of recently rediscovered photographs taken by the artist.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Eakins (1844-1916) painted portraits of scientists, surgeons, writers, teachers, musicians and sportsmen, figures who, as Wilmerding notes, ``all relied on the sensitive coordination of intelligence and action, of mind and body, of brain and hands.'' In this rewarding catalogue of an exhibition at London's National Portrait Gallery, essays by 30 scholars provide fresh perspectives on the American realist's uncompromising vision. Eakins often projected his own anxieties and feelings into his pictures, as in a remarkably candid portrait of his wife Susan Macdowell, or the devastating images of patrons who appear vain and heartless. His portraits of female nudes, Roman Catholic clerics, his favorite sister Margaret, African American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner and Walt Whitman reflect the diverse interests of this anti-impressionist. Wilmerding is professor of American art at Princeton. (Mar.)

Library Journal

Eakins's subjects gaze intently at the world before them and, even more so, at their inner visions. These are the ``warts and all'' of the soul of Philadelphia society in the aftermath of the Civil War. Published on the occasion of a unique show at the National Portrait Gallery in London, the first there of a ``great foreign artist who did not practise in (indeed never visited) this country,'' this work is the most complete study available of a provocative and penetrating genius. It combines the talents and insights of 30 Eakins scholars in its examination of the paintings and in recently rediscovered photographs by the artist. The discussion of Eakins's great interest in photography and its impact upon his work provides an added dimension to these insights. With excellent illustrations and an extensive bibliography, this scholarly work is an outstanding resource for all art libraries.-- Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York

BookList - Donna Seaman