On Lake Lugano

Stylistically this poetic landscape painting aligns with the artistic credos of tonalist painter George Inness and of the French Impressionists, notably by the soft contours and diffused outlines of the Swiss-Italian landscape. Eaton is more interested in communicating the overall visual affect, exuding an atmosphere and mood rather than translating exact details of the picturesque Lake Lugano. The mountains form the backdrop, and cypress and ilex trees are interspersed sparingly along the waterfront. Reflections of sunlight on the stucco villas and on the water are a focus, and Eaton’s command of technique are evident. He selected the difficult media of pastel--in fact he championed pastels as a mode of artistic expression.

After growing up in Albany, New York, he moved in 1879 to New York City to study art, first at the National Academy of Design, next at the Art Students League. A trip to Europe during the first decade of the twentieth century provided a bounty of stunning scenery, and Eaton was drawn to the area around Lake Como, Italy and that of Bruges in particular. In the Union League Club painting, he instills his landscape with gravity and mystery, shunning human presence. In this respect, his landscape comes alive, sharing with the viewer the sights and sounds of the environment, memorializing a moment in time and of fleeting beauty. Aside from pastel, he painted in oil and watercolor, and also practiced the art of photography.