The Thinker: Portrait of Louis N. Kenton
Louis Kenton (1865–1947) was Eakins’s brother-in-law, having married Elizabeth Macdowell—the sister of the artist’s wife, Susan—in 1889. The marriage was stormy and apparently brief, and very little is known of it, or the portrait sitter. The painting’s title, The Thinker, comes from an inscription on the reverse that apparently was added by Susan Eakins, also an artist. Beginning in 1900 the portrait was widely exhibited, garnering critical attention for its "intense realism . . . devoid of flattery." Critics praised the somber palette and introspective pose as representative of "the strong individuality of the subject."
Artwork Details
- Title: The Thinker: Portrait of Louis N. Kenton
- Artist: Thomas Eakins (American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1844–1916 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- Date: 1900
- Culture: American
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 82 x 42 in. (208.3 x 106.7 cm)
- Credit Line: John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1917
- Object Number: 17.172
- Curatorial Department: The American Wing
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Thomas Eakins (American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1844–1916 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
1880s
Thomas Eakins (American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1844–1916 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
1880s
Thomas Eakins (American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1844–1916 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
1880s
Thomas Eakins (American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1844–1916 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
1883
Thomas Eakins (American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1844–1916 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
1880s
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.