The Crucifixion

The Crucifixion was Eakins' only religious work painted during his lifetime. It is uncertain his reason for undertaking the painting as it is unlikely that any church would have commissioned the quite large piece and Eakins was not a religious man. Raised in a protestant family Eakins through life transitioned into an agnostic with doubts about divinity and criticism of the churches for mediating between the faithful and their faith. The Crucifixion was approached by Eakins with his direct focus on realism and form and all of the iconography and divine presence usually included with the subject were cast away which caused a great deal of controversy about the painting. Initial sketches for the painting were created by taking one of his art students into the marshes of New Jersey where he hung him on a cross to see how the body would hang. Eakins' considered The Crucifixion his finest painting however the decision to strip away the divinity of Jesus had considerable consequences on how the painting was received by critics. Many critics reviewed the painting as grossly inappropriate and revolting and paid no attention to the technical precision that was put into the work. In spite of the controversy of the painting Eakins continued to show the work at major international exhibitions and actively approached museums in hopes they would display the work. No takers were ever found for the painting so Eakins lent it to the Catholic Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary which hid the painting behind a door. After Eakins passing the painting was gifted along with a collection of his other works to the Philadelphia Museum of Art were it can be seen today.