Photography by Edward C. Robison III
Archbishop James Frederick Wood
Even archbishops make fashion statements.
James Frederick Wood was the first archbishop of Philadelphia. While Thomas Eakins was not religious himself, he revered Wood’s contributions to improving the city, which derived in large part from Wood’s faith. Like the present-day examples featured in the rest of this section—there can be no doubt that the clothes someone wears are part of how they communicate their beliefs and how they show up in society.
ArtistThomas Eakins, 1844–1916
Date1877
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions98 x 76 x 6 3/4 in.
Signedl.r.: Eakins / 77
Credit LineCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2015.1
ClassificationPainting
Provenancegiven by Artist to Archbishop James Frederick Wood [1813-1883] (sitter); to Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood, PA, by 1933; (Christie’s Private Sales Limited, London, England); purchased by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR, 2015
On ViewNo
This artwork's face covers about 6.9× the area of a standard movie poster.Drawn to the same scale.