Why did Thomas Eakins sell relatively few paintings during his lifetime?

Thomas Eakins sold relatively few paintings during his lifetime primarily because his uncompromising commitment to Realism often clashed with the values of his Victorian contemporaries.123

His work was frequently perceived as offensive or unacceptable because it presented the realities of modern life—such as blood, pain, and suffering—without sentimentality or embellishment. For instance, his masterpiece, The Gross Clinic, was rejected from the 1876 Centennial Exposition because viewers found its frank depiction of a surgical procedure distasteful.12

Furthermore, Eakins faced professional notoriety due to his insistence on using nude models in his art instruction, which led to his resignation from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1886. Because he possessed a small private income, he was not dependent on sales for his livelihood. This financial independence allowed him to remain "unfettered by the demands of clients," enabling him to prioritize artistic honesty over the need to flatter patrons or conform to popular tastes. Consequently, he remained something of an outcast throughout his career, finding fulfillment in his work and personal relationships rather than commercial success.43