Thomas Eakins : The Absolute Male
Thomas Eakins's (1844-1916) reputation has long since recovered  from the ostracism he suffered when he exposed female drawing  students at the Philadelphia Academy of Art to nude male models  and was forced to quit teaching. In recent years, the  rehabilitation of this 19th-century realist painter has  continued, with several books and museum retrospectives of his  work. Perhaps, then, it was inevitable that the erotic potential  of Eakins's working materials-extensive photographic  documentation of the bodies of his male models and  students-would be seized upon. This sexy but unnecessary book  compiles many of his photographs of nude youths, often engaged  in such unlikely athletic pursuits as wrestling, boxing, or  tugs-of-war while in the buff in some Arcadian setting.  Translated onto canvas by Eakins, these beautifully composed  images became lyrical and timeless. Few of the final paintings  are seen here, however. Lacking the interpretive analysis  contained in Kathleen Foster's excellent Thomas Eakins  Rediscovered, this thin volume is instead best thought of as  Victorian-era eye candy. Libraries seeking insight into Eakins's  visual methods would be better served by Foster's book.Douglas  F. Smith, Oakland P.L., CACopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.