The centerpiece of LACMA’s Manly Pursuits: The Sporting Images of Thomas Eakins exhibition.
If you do the google search, you’ll find that there’s a bit of controversy in regards to the artist, this painting, and how LACMA aquired it. Quite fascinating.
Links:
LACMA
Thomas Eakins
Currently on display (for a limited time) at The Getty, this stunning image is said to have inspired Ridley Scott’s Gladiator film.
It was interesting to read that back in the day the protocol (thumbs up) was to kill the defeated gladiator. So, “thumbs down” actually indicated the crowd’s desire to spare the guy. Somewhere along the way, the interpretation got messed up.
