Thomas Eakins became a salaried professor at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1878 and its director in 1882. Emphasizing the nude as the basis of art instruction, his curriculum afforded students of both genders ample opportunity to learn the human form.
Under Eakins, the Academy’s art course became the most liberal and advanced in the world. One of his innovations was the introduction of photography to the art studio. Though still frowned upon by traditionalists, Eakins recognized its value as a source of useful anatomical references. He photographed himself, friends and students in the nude, and displayed the results for study.
For Arcadia he used a magic lantern to project photographic references onto the canvas, enabling him to render the figures with mechanical precision. Here the models — his nephew Ben Crowell, future wife Susan Macdowell, and teaching assistant J. Laurie Wallace — are transported to an era of pagan innocence; one which Eakins must have envied when, in 1886, he was forced to resign for removing the loincloth from a male model in the presence of female students.
The world was not yet ready to let it all hang out.
Product Information
Expect crisp detail and vivid color from our giclée process fine art prints. We use archival pigment inks on cotton fiber paper to achieve a wide color gamut, deep blacks and beautiful tonal transitions. Unlike posters, they will not fade or yellow, but maintain their original quality for as long as you own them.
How to Frame
Historical artworks were produced in whatever shapes and sizes best suited the artists and their patrons, and these rarely correspond to the proportions of modern, mass-produced frames. Most reproductions sold on the web are cropped to an arbitrary standard, compromising the integrity of the original artwork. We solve this by using accent borders to make up any differences in proportion.Framing may be as simple as inserting the print into a standard size frame with the borders showing. In many cases, our customers choose to have them matted. Borders allow space for framers to mount the print while covering little, if any, of the artwork. Our images are sized to provide desirable mat widths in common frames.Sizes 9” x 12”, 12” x 16”, and 16” x 20” are designed to be matted in larger frames, such as 11” x 14”, 16” x 20” and 20” x 24”, respectively. Larger prints may be matted in frames of equal size, the borders corresponding to the shape of the mat. Where the artwork is unusually square or narrow, other sizes may be preferred.If our sizing does not meet your requirements, we provide customization free of charge. Please contact us to discuss the details.
Shipping and Returns
All orders ship within one business day. The following services are available at checkout:
United States
Shipping Class |
Price |
Estimated Delivery Window |
USPS First Class Parcel |
Free |
3 – 5 business days |
USPS Priority Mail |
$3.99 |
2 – 4 business days |
USPS Priority Mail Express |
$29.99 |
1 – 3 days, guaranteed |
Canada *
Shipping Class |
Price |
Estimated Delivery Window |
USPS First Class International |
$11.99 |
1 – 3 weeks |
USPS Priority Mail Express |
$56.99 |
3 – 5 business days |
International, Excluding Canada *
Shipping Class |
Price |
Estimated Delivery Window |
USPS First Class International |
$17.99 |
1 – 4 weeks |
USPS Priority Mail Express |
$62.99 |
3 – 5 business days |
* International orders may be subject to import taxes at time of delivery.
Returns Policy
If you are unhappy with your order for any reason, you are welcome to return it within 60 days for a full refund. Please contact us and return your item(s) to:
The Ibis
809 Grant Street
Endicott, NY 13760
Your return will be processed on receipt.