The Biglin Brothers Turning the Stake

The painting records a race on Philadelphia's Schuylkill River in May 1872. John and Barney Biglin negotiate the difficult turn at the halfway marker while their rivals trail behind. The brothers won. Eakins, closely attached to his home city, prepared his compositions through detailed figure and perspective studies.

One rower leans forward over an oar. His torso shows the physical work required to turn the narrow boat.

The second brother sits behind him. Their actions must be coordinated to keep the long oars and the boat moving together.

A blue flag rises above the water at the turning marker. Here the competitors reached the halfway point and began the return leg.

The narrow boat crosses the foreground. Its long hull and extended oars make the geometry of the maneuver visible.

Dark vegetation closes the distant bank. Large numbers of spectators watched the race from the riverside.

Eakins studied anatomy at a medical college and painting in the United States and Europe. He later used photography to investigate movement. Rowers belonged to the Philadelphia athletes and professionals whose work he considered worthy of close representation.