Miss Alice Kurtz 1903

Thomas Eakins painted “Miss Alice Kurtz” in oil on canvas. It's a portrait, and the practice of portraiture was closely tied to social status in the late 19th century United States. Eakins’s realist style, his commitment to depicting the world as he saw it, was quite radical, and he eschewed the conventions of the idealized portrait. He seems far more concerned with the individuality of his sitter than with her social position. The details of dress and setting are deemphasized, and he uses light and shadow to sculpt her features. This focus on the individual aligns with the progressive social movements of the time. The New Woman, for example, challenged traditional gender roles and sought greater autonomy. Eakins was associated with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and understanding the institutional history of that institution is key to understanding his work.