The sun., 1917-09-09

styie, somewhat realistic, were no
doubt fostered by the teachings Of
these masters. His professional life
has been passed in Philadelphia, where
he has been for many years one Of the
members Of the teaching staff Of the
Pennsylvania Academy.
He has painted many pictures Of do
nestle scenes in the early days Of
America. Of American sports and ath-
letic games and studies OF negro char
acter. In the Centennial Exposition,
1875. his pictures were "Chess Players"
Baseball" "Whistling for Plover" and
several portraits. But perhaps his
most famous painting. certainly the
biggest, Is his "C1inic of Professor
Gross" now in the Jefferson Medical
College. which was one Of the "clous"
of the art galleries at the st. Louis
Exposition Of 1904.
1t Is perhaps inevitable that a pic
ture Of such "A subject as this should
have to undergo comparison with
Rembrandt's Anatomy Lesson" In the
Mauritshu!s at The Hague. There is
good deal in common between the
two works, and Eakins does not suffer
SO much by the comparison as one
would suppose. His realism in this
canvas Is poignant; IL made a tremen-
dous appeal to the crowd at St. Louis;
there was something almost morbid In
the fascination Of the motive-the SEN
sation OF being present at an impor-
tant surgical operation was too vivid
to be altogether agreeable. Eakins in
this magnum opus strikes one as a
nd Aras IL
ruthless" painter. whose tempera-
ment. one would say. was rather that
Of the surgeon himself than OF the ar
tist. that Is to say, scientific and cold
blooded.
In point of fact Eakins was more in
terested in anatomy than anything else
In his art. The idea Of the clinic re-
CURED with him N his STUDY for the
Agnew Clinic" exhibited in 1914. show
Ing the surgeon in his white robe de-
tached from the dark background like
a sculptured figure. In the same exhi-
bition were the portraits Of "Dr. Leon
ard. Martyr to Science" and Charles
Edmond Dana"
Portraits Of musicians by Eakins also
show his power Of expressing the pre-
occupation OF a man trained to self
expression. His Cello Player" in the
Pennsylvania Academy. is eloquent Of
a dignifed absorption in a beloved task.
a very fine piece OF significant drafts
manship. Music" in the 1916 exhibit
ton OF the Pennsylvania Academy, Is
a milder version OF the same motive;
a man in the foreground is playing the
violin; hts accompanist Is at the piano
in the background. and over the piano
hangs Whist1er's portrait OF Sarasate.
The movement OF the violinist's hands
is as significant as the expression of
his face: in all such things Eakns is
a sure master Of his facts by virtue of
q very uncommon mastery Of draughts-
manship.
At the Metropolitan Museum. New
York. are two pictures Of Eakinss
earlier years. One 10 the Chess Play
ers" above mentioned. remarkable
little genre piece, to which time has
been unkind. hiding much Of the color
and Rradation OF tone under dingy
veil
Most Of the paintings exhibited by
Eakins during the past twenty years
have shown a preoccupation with form
rather than color. but he also produced
a number in which landscape plays a
prominent part and which have many
charms OF color and tone. The second
picture in the Metropolitan Museum,
recently acquired, but painted two
years earlier than the Chess Players.
belongs to this class. 1t is called
Pushing the Rail" title that refers
to a name given by sportsmen to a
method Of hunting rail, kind Of water
bird. The hunter is punted along the
shallow waters of marshy streams.
and shoots the birds as they fly on
being disturbed. Three OF these sports
men. each with his boatman. are in
three boats which are hidden by the
reeds and water grasses. y warm.
gray sky hangs low over the grass
marsh. through which are seen
patches OF blue water. The man oc-
cupying the centre OF the composition