Thomas Jefferson University
How do you make something ignored for decades suddenly controversial? Easy: threaten to ship it to Arkansas. Nothing like hearing that an artistic treasure is being shipped to a fly over state to really piss Philly folks off. The Thomas Eakins masterpiece The Gross Clinic is in limbo, sold to Alice Walton for $68 million…unless the forces of The Committee to Keep Eakins' Masterpiece in Philadelphia (who counts Kevin Bacon in their ranks) can match the offer before December 26! How can so many people weigh in on a painting that most people haven’t seen? I figured to weigh in myself, I should check it out. The Gross Clinic is majestic, but seeing it now is like visiting someone with a bad prognosis. When I was there curious souls gawked and sighed in concern when the guard mentioned that January 2 was moving day. One man put his head in his hands and said, "It's like losing an old friend." This show is interesting whatever your motivation–a better informed opinion on a local controversy, seeing an 'old friend' one more time, or just people watching (because a maudlin moment between a man and a painting is worth the trip).
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