High Culture Controversy of the year

I have breathed the rarified air of the cultural elite of Philadelphia. I worked for the Orchestra for four years, so I know what a special world it is. Of course almost everyone I worked with and several subscribers I knew we obsessed with the behind the scenes news of the Orchestra. The Inquirer reported on the Orchestra like it was a sports team. They had two writers who wrote about little else. I always thought it was interesting, but then I worked there. I could never figure out why (or if) so many other people were interested. I'm sure most people would have enjoyed another story about "American Idol" much more.

I have been reminded of these Orchestra stories over the last few months when I heard the wall to wall coverage of the "Gross Clinic" controversy. The "Gross Clinic" (for you uninformed out-of-towners) is a painting by famed Philadelphia artist Thomas Eakins. The controversy happened when the paintings owner announced they were going to sell the work to a museum in Arkansas being built by an heir to the Walmart fortune. The sellers, Thomas Jefferson University, gave the "Arts Community" in town an oppportunity to meet the selling price of $63.8 MILLION dollars and keep the painting here.

There was an immediate outcry among the cognoscenti: How could this happen to us, how could Jefferson do this to Philadelphia? There were newspaper stories, TV news coverage and hours and hours on NPR devoted to the story. There was an immediate effort to raise money to keep the painting here, but it looked bleak as there was only a few months to come up with some major cash. People actually talked about this story all over the place. Friends, relatives and co-workers mentioned it constantly.

Every one was very upset that this masterwork by one of America's all time great artists might not be here anymore. The funny thing to me, what I hardly ever heard mentioned by anyone, was that the vast majority of Philadelphians had never heard of Thomas Eakins much less knew about this painting. This painting wasn't in a major museum. Not even in a minor one. It was kept in a locked basement gallery in a non-descript University building. If anyone in the public knew it was there they would have to make an appointment and wait for a security guard to unlock a door to get into the gallery. I didn't know it was there- and I know who Thomas Eakins was - we even attended the same high school (over 100 years apart). Eakins' paintings are very familiar to me - especially his "famous" rowing paintings. I even remember another of his "Clinic" paintings depicting medical procedures of the time - the "Agnew Clinic" Tourists don't come into town looking to see the "Gross Clinic" I wish that they did. I can guarantee that there would be a much greater outcry among tourists and locals if they went and tried to sell the infamous "Rocky" statue now standing by the Art Museum.

If you are planning a trip to Philadelphia soon, don't worry, you can still see the "Rocky" statue and maybe- if there is time - you can go into the Art Museum and see the "Gross Clinic". A whole bunch of rich people and organizations saved the painting from going to Arkansas. Now many, many more generations of Philadelphians can go on ignoring it. Me, I plan to go see it very soon. Now that I know it's famous.