Good news for those of you eager to contribute to the effort to retain Thomas Eakins’ The Gross Clinic in Philadelphia (see posts and comments here here and here). A fund has been formed by a group including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Mayor John F. Street.

This from the Philadelphia Museum of Art–

November 17th, 2006
City Institutions, Officials Unite To Keep Eakins Masterpiece In Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, public and private institutions, city officials, and civic leaders are joining forces in the effort to raise $68 million to keep Thomas Eakins’ 1875 masterpiece, The Gross Clinic, in Philadelphia. Partners in the drive to keep the spectacular painting in the city where it was painted have established The Fund for Eakins’ Masterpiece and, recognizing the difficulty of the challenge, are reaching out to the community for support. The action comes in response to an announcement by the painting’s owner, Thomas Jefferson University, that local art museums and governmental institutions must match the price by December 26, 2006, or the painting will be sold to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, founded by Alice L. Walton, and scheduled to open in 2009, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
…
How to Give

The public can help by giving to the Fund for Eakins’ Masterpiece, established to raise the money to match the sale price of $68 million. Make a tax deductible contribution online here, or mail a check made payable to Fund for Eakins’ Masterpiece and send it to Fund for Eakins’ Masterpiece, c/o Philadelphia Museum of Art, P.O. Box 7646, Philadelphia, PA 19130-7646. The Fund for Eakins’ Masterpiece HOTLINE is reachable by calling 215-684-7762.

The full press release includes statements from Street, PMA Director Ann d’Harnoncourt, PAFA Trustee Chair Donald R. Caldwell.

The fail safe

According to the web page, you won’t lose your money if the effort to save The Gross Clinic fails. Here’s what it states:

If the efforts to acquire the Eakins masterpiece are unsuccessful, we will contact you to find out if you wish to have your contribution returned or if you would be willing to have your contribution used to keep other significant works of art in the Philadelphia region for public enjoyment and education.

The rally

Meanwhile, see you at the rally Sunday between 10 am and 11 am in front of Jefferson’s Alumni Hall, 1000 block of Locust St.

Has there ever before been a rally in favor of a work of art? On the other hand, I can think of protests against works of art (Sensations exhibit, and locally, Andres Serrano at the ICA are two examples).