There's Nothing Gross About That
I have to admit that I when I read that only about half of the funds needed had been raised so far (see Update), that I started to worry that The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins was going west (to the Art-Mart Museum in Arkansas).
Then, late this afternoon (between our Solstice Luncheon, Christmas shopping and client matters) I saw the announcement that the Gross Clinic was staying in Philadelphia! The Inquirer reported in Gross Clinic to stay in Philadelphia that:
At a news conference today, Mayor Street announced that Thomas Eakins' masterpiece The Gross Clinic would remain in Philadelphia.Details are sparse at this point, but KYW adds:
The local fund-raising effort to buy the painting has received more than 2,000 contributions from more than 30 states, sources at the Philadelphia Museum of Art said. Among them were $10 million from Leonore Annenberg, and $3 million each from H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest, Joseph Neubauer, and the Pew Charitable Trusts.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts announced Thursday they will purchase the painting, thanks in part to a bank loan.Welcome to Phillyville put it best: We Win!!! As he said:
I did not think it was possible. Keeping the painting required Philadelphia to think big. To refuse to listen to the usual bunch of nabboring naybobs. But somehow, for some reason, we made like Sisyphus and rolled that rock up the hill one more time.Likewise, WHYY's The Gross Clinic Stays:
If museology ever rises to the level of mythology, that would be the day Philadelphia rises to a challenge like the one it has faced these past forty days and forty nights.Today it was announced: the Eakins stays in Philadelphia, the place where it has the most significance, the most context, and the place where it (now) has the most friends.
Just one last thing. I hope that the Gross Clinic doesn't stay at Jeff. It deserves to have an Eakins Gallery without an Eakins -- to show how empty and hollow it is.
2 comments:
I don't know, I guess I just don't get it. I live across the river in South jersey, was Philadelphia born and bred. It seems to me that if folks in the city can raise $30 million to keep ONE painting in the city, why can't they pay for decent schools? To shelter the homeless? To help stop the killing?
Just askin'...
I agree with you. See my comments on the issue at A Work of Art.
I do believe that art is also a worthy cause, which is why I found Jefferson's conduct to be so infuriating. Use of scare resources unnecessarily is that last thing the city needs.
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