Eakins Oval was named for Thomas Eakins (1844–1916), the famous Philadelphia realist painter best known for The Gross Clinic and The Agnew Clinic. The centerpiece of the oval is Washington Monument, designed by German sculptor Rudolf Siemering in 1897.

The fantastic, symbolic statue was a gift from the Cincinnati Society of Pennsylvania, descendants of men who fought in the Revolutionary War. A bronze and granite replica of George Washington in uniform on a horse sits high atop a granite pedestal looking towards City Hall; his face was made from an impression taken during his life.

Four pairs of Native American figures and animals each guard a pool of water representing the four great waterways of America—the Mississippi, the Potomac, the Delaware, and the Hudson. Thirteen steps that lead to the pedestal represent the original 13 states.

Each side of the pedestal represents aspects of the American journey—the victory in the war, warning against the dangers of slavery, westward movement, and the march of the army.

The monument was dedicated in 1897 at the Green Street entrance to Fairmount Park and moved to this spot in 1928 when construction on the Parkway was completed. The southeastern side of the oval is used as a parking lot. You can sit on the statue, with the Art Museum or the Parkway and City Hall in the background, for a great photo op.