"Gross Clinic" Exhibit at Phila. Museum of Art

After undergoing restoration work for over a year, The Gross Clinic is now the centerpiece of a new exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

KYW's Karin Phillips reports that "Seeing The Gross Clinic Anew" opens Saturday at the Perelman Building.

And while the newly restored masterpiece by Thomas Eakins is the center of the exhibition, much of its history is also examined, including quotes from its initial critical reception in 1875.

Mark Tucker is senior conservator of paintings:

"The idea of seeing a realistic depiction of an operation was, frankly, shocking.  And it does refer to the fact that visitors with weak hearts and delicate sensibilities should not be allowed to see it without warning."

Those who have seen The Gross Clinic in the past will see a noticable change.  Kathleen Foster is senior curator of American art:

"I think we have made it look better than it has looked in 85 years."

The exhibit also includes other medical paintings by Eakins and a close examination of the research and restoration work of The Gross Clinic.

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