Mary Cassatt and Thomas Eakins were American artists both
born in Philadelphia during the mid nineteenth century. Cassatt and Eakins also both studied at the
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art and eventually in Europe. Mary Cassatt settled in France and joined the
Impressionist movement while Thomas Eakins stayed in the United States and was
a realist painter. As evidenced in previous statements Cassatt and Eakins were
similar in upbringing and education. However
the way subjects were portrayed in their work was a reflection of their
experiences as different genders.
Mary Cassatt portrayed female figures as independent people
and were the central focus of her work. Conversely
Thomas Eakins, portrayed women as little more than objects in his work, he objectified
women if you will, and did not emphasize them. So in essence Cassatt focused on
the importance of women, while Eakins demeaned their capabilities and roles in
society.
Mary Cassatt’s Woman in Black at the Opera (1880) is an
excellent example of her work in which a woman is the main focus. The woman’s
importance in this painting is symbolically portrayed through her active
gestures, and look of sternness in her face. She is without a doubt the focus
of the painting. One gets a sense of assertiveness from her, a feeling that she
is definitely in control of her surroundings.
Thomas Eakins’ The Concert Singer (Weda Cook), 1892), exemplifies
the insignificance he gave to women in
his works. The woman in this painting is not shown as a very active and therefore
not important. While the figure is portrayed as actively performing, she has a lost
faraway look in her face takes the power away from her. The delicateness and suppleness
of the figure reflects a loss of control, and demeans her strength. Eakins
gives more importance to her singing, and performance, over the singer herself.
In essence, Cassett portrayed women as awesome independent
figures that didn't need men to be productive members in society. Meanwhile
Eakins didn't really portray women particularly well and just used them as
objects like his misogynist predecessors.
tangentially related link: http://thisismaleprivilege.tumblr.com/
I like your analysis of Cassett. However, I see a technical aspect to Eakin's painting that might debunk your theory of his view of women. As a Classical singer I immediately recognized the singers posture and demeanor in the painting. To me, she is simply aligned in order to sing difficult bel canto passages. She is upright, with relaxed torso and firmly planted on two feet. Her jawbone is likewise relaxed and out of the way to make for efficient vocalizing. Her head is slightly tilted to convey expression but so much so that her esophagus would be bent or compromised in sound production. I see this singer as depicting model vocal technique. Not to mention that she was forced to sing some of the most difficult vocal repertoire that exists while wearing a corset. A clothing item Cassett's woman is also wearing, and I think, is a far greater example of patriarchal control of women that all 19th Century society was unfortunately subjected to.
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