Thomas Eakins was born July 25th, 1844 in Philadelphia, USA. From an early age, he watched his father work hard as a master calligrapher and writer. As a result, Thomas incorporated a high level of detail and precise lines in his art. Eakins graduated from a premier high school before attending the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. This release is a collection of color works by Eakins in a convenient paperback format. In 1866 he went to France to train with French greats like Jean-Léon Gérôme. After four years there, he was not particularly impressed with Impressionism. He disliked the conventions of French high art, summing up his feelings in a letter: “I hate affectation.” His time in Spain, in contrast, saw his love for Realism flourish. In Arcadia, the realistic depiction of classical subjects reflects Eakins’ interest in human forms. As an instructor he encouraged his students to use various technologies like photography to study human and animal form. While his early thoughts of becoming a surgeon never came to pass, his interest in anatomy spurred him onward in his art.