Smithsonian

Highlights from Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture

In the late 19th century, sporting events that glorified masculinity rose in popularity. College football, rowing and boxing celebrated the fit and healthy physique of the athlete. Here, Eakins plays with social norms by portraying a scantily clad boxer instead of a nude female as the object of an all-male crowd’s gaze. The boxer is the 22-year-old featherweight Billy Smith, who was a close, devoted friend to the artist.

Salutat by Thomas Cowperthwaite Eakins. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10

Photos from: Portrait Gallery's Hide/Seek Uncovers an Intricate Visual History of Gay Relationships »