'The Gross Clinic' heads to Philadelphia art museum
Last updated Thursday, January 4, 2007 7:01 PM CST in News
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHILADELPHIA -- Thomas Eakins' masterpiece "The Gross Clinic," which almost left the city until an intense fund-raising drive raised about $30 million to keep it, will be on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art beginning today.
The iconic 1875 painting will be hung along with a portrait of Eakins painted by his wife, Susan Hannah Macdowell, who gave her collection to the museum in 1929. An oil sketch for "The Gross Clinic" will also be displayed.
The painting will remain at the museum until early spring, when it moves across the city to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the nation's oldest arts institution. The two institutions will share equally in its ownership.
Thomas Jefferson University announced Nov. 11 the planned sale of the painting for $68 million to a partnership of Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton's Crystal Bridges in Bentonville and the National Gallery of Art in Washington. The university set a Dec. 26 deadline for a counteroffer.
About half that sum has been raised so far, and the fund-raising continues, officials said. Bank loans will make up the difference.
Reader Comments (No comments posted.)
The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.
Not already registered?
