Rowing Boat Race on the River Ceramic Tile

This design features a painting by the American artist Thomas Eakins (1844–1916). It shows a rowing race taking place on a river in New York State during the 19th century. Two men are in the boat, and they are rowing furiously with the oars, trying to win the race. The men are the Biglin Brothers, who were a famous pair of rowers from New York. Their boat is wooden and streamlined. The oars are long and made of wood too. The men's muscles are strained as they exert themselves. Both men are wearing blue bandanas. The original art was painted by Thomas Eakins in 1873, and the painting is now housed in the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA.