The Chaperone c. 1908

Thomas Eakins made this painting, The Chaperone, with oil paint. It looks like he worked alla prima, wet into wet, figuring out the form of the sitter with each brushstroke. I love how the figure emerges softly from the background, as if she’s been sitting there for a while. The dark tones are so beautiful and subdued, creating a somber and introspective mood. I wonder what was going through Eakins' mind when he made this painting. Was he thinking about the passage of time, the weight of experience, or the quiet dignity of everyday life? The way he depicts her hands, so focused on her task, speaks volumes about the value of craft, care and attention. You can see he’s part of a long line of painters who were exploring the psychological dimensions of portraiture, like Rembrandt or Goya. They were all interested in capturing not just a likeness, but also the inner life of their subjects. We keep working, each one of us influenced by the last.