What do you think of when you hear the word "pathetic?"
During Thomas Eakins's lifetime, "pathetic" was synonymous with moving, poignant, or touching—lacking today's negative connotation. The pathetic song, a popular type of melody in 1860s and 1870s America, told tales of woe, such as death or tragic circumstances befalling innocent women or children. Recited by the singer as autobiographical, such ballads often moved audiences to tears.
In this picture, an earnest young singer is accompanied by a pianist and cellist. She concentrates on holding a note of her tune. How has Eakins chosen to convey the mournful tone of the woman’s song?
"Singing a Pathetic Song" is on view in the West Building, Gallery 69:http://1.usa.gov/1N70BYF
Thomas Eakins, "Singing a Pathetic Song," 1881, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, Gallery Fund), 2014.79.19
National Gallery of Art
The Gallery’s “Picture This” tours make the collection more accessible to adult visitors with visual impairments. Tomorrow, June 24 and Saturday, June 27 at 1:00 p.m., explore American sport in paintings by Eakins and Homer.
Thomas Eakins, "The Biglin Brothers Racing," 1872, oil on canvas
The Gallery’s “Picture This” tours make the collection more accessible to adult visitors with visual impairments. Tomorrow, June 24 and Saturday, June 27 at 1:00 p.m., explore American sport in paintings by Eakins and Homer.
Thomas Eakins, "The Biglin Brothers Racing," 1872, oil on canvas
When the Woolworth Building was completed in 1913, it was the tallest building in the world and an important symbol of the modern age. John Marin made numerous drawings, etchings, and watercolors of the building over the course of several years. In “Woolworth Building, No. 28,” the weight of color and form across the lower register of the work allows the tower to soar, while Marin’s energetic brushwork in the sky draws further attention to this architectural achievement.
John Marin, “Woolworth Building, No. 28,” 1912, watercolor over graphite
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