Max Schmitt In A Single Scull Analysis

In the late 19th century, the art world of the United States was primarily centered in the northeast, and as result, much of the art of that period contains imagery of or pertaining to this region of the country. Scenes of popular recreation were common as subject matter within paintings during this era, appearing in some of the most iconic American artist’s portfolios, and becoming representative of American painting in the 1870’s. Considering the works below, the three paintings contain nearly synonymous motifs, but show significant differences in subject, style, and date. After further analyzation of these images, how each work relates to one another becomes increasingly clear. Beginning with the leftmost image, Winslow Homer’s “Breezing …show more content…
The composition of the painting, more scientifically laid out than the previous two, witnesses a perspective view of Schmitt at the center rowing towards the viewer, but also turning to confront his observer. Another boat again appears behind and to the right of the focal ship in the middle ground of the image, as it does in both earlier works, completing the set of nearly uniform compositions. Unlike the previous two works, the figure’s vessel in this case is a scull, a small boat used in rowing competitions for a single passenger. Another difference that sets this work apart from the others is the presence of the artist, Eakins, within his own work manning the distant scull. Eakins precisely depicts Schmitt and himself as clear figures in the image as they face the viewer. This take on subject matter is drastically different than Homer’s hazy depiction of figures that appear ambiguous and lacking identity. Eakins’ characters, similar to Homer’s, are out on the water for sport, but for the much fast paced and testing pastime of rowing rather than the relaxing day journey of fishing. Eakins’ style is the most rigid of the three works, characterized by the glassy still water and paralyzed actions of the rowers and their surroundings. Eakins tight brushwork is seamless creating a photo quality to his painting. The works fixed appearance sprouts from aspects such as the frozen ripples in the water, solid clouds, and sculpture-like poses of the figures. These details combine to make up Eakins’ unmistakable picturesque style seen here in one of his earlier paintings. Of the three artists, although Eakins’ work was produced first, it was not the first to depict this recurring aquatic subject matter, but could have been the inspiration for the continuation of the theme in American