Group of Sketches: Eakins' Father, Table with Oranges

This group of studies, containing four sketches of Benjamin Eakins, the artist's father, and two still-life compositions, was probably painted between the late 1870s and late 1880s. In his days as a teacher, Eakins encouraged his students to paint oil sketches of every day objects, such as an orange or an egg, to learn light and its effect on color. Only a few of these studies were found in the artist's studio and preserved by Mrs. Eakins.

According to Lloyd Goodrich's research, Charles Bregler, a former student of Eakins and restorer who worked for Mrs. Eakins, mounted the works on a single panel sometime after 1930. Another comparable group of sketches is in the collection of the Joslyn Art Museum.