The Zither Player
1876
Medium
Watercolor on cream wove paper
Dimensions
29.8 × 25.2 cm (11 3/4 × 9 15/16 in.)
Classification
watercolor
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
31289
Art Historical Context
Thomas Eakins' *The Zither Player* (1876) is a captivating watercolor on cream wove paper, measuring 29.8 × 25.2 cm, now treasured in the Art Institute of's Prints and Drawings department Created during Eakins' formative years in Philadelphia, this work showcases the artist's early experimentation with watercolor—a medium that highlights his precision and allows for the translucent layering of delicate tones and subtle gradations, distinct from his more renowned oil paintings. As a pioneer of American Realism, Eakins drew from his European training and fascination with anatomy and photography...
About the Artist
Thomas Eakins · 1844–1916
Thomas Eakins (1844-1916) was an American painter, photographer, and educator who carried 19th-century American Realism to its highest achievement. Based in Philadelphia throughout his life, he created uncompromising portraits and genre scenes that depicted American life with a scientific precision and psychological depth unprecedented in his time. Born into an educated Philadelphia family, Eakin...