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Ole Walt , I'm sure, liked the subject matter.
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Hmmm, interesting, revealing comment . . . perhaps closer to the heart of the real objection to Eakins. Not being a Whitman scholar, I wouldn't know if the innuendo is based on fact. But in any event, Whitman was talking about his own portrait, not about the "Swimming Hole" painting.
I haven't had the pleasure of seeing the original painting. As I said, I had two reproductions side by side, and there was such a contrast between them that they might have been from different paintings. I don't think the better one was manipulated to make it appear that the work was competently executed.
It's unfortunate that a once "favorite" painting can no longer be enjoyed because of intervening education.
By the way, I slept in the garage one night, hoping to become a Porsche, but I turned out to be an SUV. Not very pretty, but useful in deep snow and on steep grades.