It’s hard to believe Thomas Eakin’s painting The Biglin Brothers Racing dates back to 1873. Point and click cameras weren’t yet invented. So, this action’s a straight shot from Eakins. He had to be there and capture a split second in oil paint. That’s only one of the wonders at work in this piece. A striking clear portrait of a movement in oil paint. It’s a marvel of action and atmosphere. Thomas Eakins planned this race day portrait ahead of time. But Philadelphia weather brought challenges. It would have been hard enough to capture this race on a sunny morning. But rain held off the scheduled contest until early evening.
This urgency may account for some of the painting’s remarkable tension. There’s a thrill running through The Biglin Brothers Racing. Careful composition gives the painting this competitive charge. For instance, the brothers’ boat edges out both sides of the canvas frame. An opponent boat peeks into the bottom corner halfway. That’s how Thomas Eakins creates suspense. We’re mid-race. The brothers row – paddles in the air. At the moment, they’re in the lead. But it’s clear this could change any second. So, the painting holds us in anticipation.
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