“The Pathetic Song,” an artwork by Thomas Eakins, created circa 1881, is an exquisite example of genre painting from the Realism movement. Executed in oil on canvas, this artwork measures 82.55 x 114.3 cm and is currently held in a private collection.
The artwork captures an intimate musical scene. At the forefront stands a woman in a meticulously detailed, light-colored dress, holding sheet music, suggesting she could be a singer preparing to perform or in the midst of a performance. Seated beside her at a piano is another woman, clad in darker attire, whose concentration on the keys indicates her role as the accompanist. In the background, an elderly man, also in dark clothing, attentively plays the cello, adding depth and richness to the scene. The setting appears to be an ornate, perhaps domestic, interior, with lavish furnishings including a richly patterned rug and a detailed wall adorned with art. The overall mood reflects a solemn, almost melancholic atmosphere, consistent with the title, “The Pathetic Song.”
