Painting Critique

Kyle D. Joson

Professor Bomboy

Modern Culture and Arts

November 1, 2015

Thomas Eakins’ The Gross Clinic

Paintings that were created before the 19th century gave society a "voice." The artists' messages can be identified by using the elements and principles of design and observing the subject matter. One of painting I found intriguing is The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins. Thomas Eakins was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and he was known for his large collection of realism paintings. Though Eakins is known for being a painter, he also took photographs and sculpted. In the 1880's, he worked with Edward Muybridge, who researched pictures in motion that later led the idea of film. The collaboration increased Eakins's interest in realism; he realized the photographic technology was a tool to better represent the physical world. Before he resigned from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the people of Philadelphia criticized Eakins's method of teaching because he encouraged students to use live nude models for studying anatomy. At first, he wasn't well known for his work, but after his death, he was considered one of America's most influential painters (PBS.com). The Gross Clinic was painted in 1875 and depicted a scene that took place at Jefferson Medical College. It shows Professor Samuel D. Gross lecturing to male students while his surgeons are operating on a young patient with osteomyelitis of the femur. The lone woman who is weeping on left side of Dr. Gross adds an emotional effect. The painting is about the advancement of understanding how to prevent infections in an operation. The Gross Clinic is one of the significance documents of health and medicine. How was The Gross Clinic considered a special work compared to other Eakins paintings, and what is the creator trying to say to the American society? 

Thomas Eakins showed great elements and principles of design in his many paintings. The Gross Clinic displays complex lines like curved, dotted, thick, and thin ones to make its shapes more organic. There is a strong sense of a dark atmosphere based on the gloomy colors though the foreground of the painting has lights. Looking at the painting, it feels rough based on Eakins's paint stroke and the material he used, which was oil. There is negative space between the lecture center and seated students. The value plays a major role in the painting: the background is where the shadow is, and foreground shows lights. Dr. Gross is viewed the main character in the painting because of the large size he is portrayed in compared to the surgeons, the woman, and the patient. When I first saw the painting, I glanced at Dr. Gross then his surgeons, patient and lone woman and later stare at the students. So there is a good direction of movement rhythm. The lecturer and students give contrast.

Thomas Eakins used all the elements and principles of synthesis to convey a specific tone during the 19th century. As I see it, the tone is supposed to be a horror-like theme since the story is about surgery, and the lone woman is crying for her child. Eakins made all of his paintings as realistic as possible by adding depth and naturalistic shapes. The entire picture is a perfect example of foreground and background (form) because of the contrast between light (lecture center) and dark (students’ seats), the scale of Dr. Gross, and the space between Dr. Gross and the students. The lights beaming at Dr. Gross, the surgeons, the women, and the patient give emphasis. Overall, I feel the painting is in the state of harmony, but the weight seems asymmetrical.

I think there is a specific aim for making The Gross Clinic. Eakins's intention is to appreciate Dr. Gross's research in preventing infection. Before surgery was considered a healing process, injury to infection lead to amputation. Surgeons or other professions need a change within the health institution. I think Eakins was trying to say, discovery and curiosity are part of our human progress and nature. 

From a feminist viewpoint, the hidden message of The Gross Clinic is about gender inequality because the students and medical professionals are all men.  I mentioned that the woman is the only one in the lecture room. Also, the center of attention with Dr. Gross. Maybe the painting is showing that men don't have a sense of morals. If you look at the dark background, the majority of the Jefferson students are either taking a nap or bored out of their minds while the woman is in pain. Probably the great amount of shadow on the students presents cruelty or the “nature" of men. It creates sympathy within me and the viewers of how women dealt with inequality. It made me realize of how much the American society progress. According to Jefferson Medical College, women didn't have the education to become professionals in the medical field before the end of 19th-century. The school first opened its door to women on 1961, and in 1965, it had 7% graduate. Today, nearly 50% of women work in the medical field (Jefferson). 

When I first saw The Gross Clinic at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I was amazed by how Thomas Eakins made every detail precise: the value (light and dark), the dull colors, and the model of every character (organic shape). He wanted to portray the physical world. Maybe it was not Eakins's intention to display the gender inequality of women but to focus on advancing in medicine. He does give a glimpse of how the 19th-century society was. This is one of the reasons why paintings are important to the human race. It opens a new perspective on the world, and we have to identify social problems such as power, class, and inequality of gender and minority. So does it mean societies from around the world view all people equal? Sadly, no, there is always be inequality. But hopefully as time progress, we as human beings will be better in understanding fairness and morals.

Works Cited

"About Thomas Eakins." PBS. PBS, 02 Dec. 2001. Web. 30 Oct. 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/ wnet/americanmasters/thomas-eakins-about-thomas-eakins/581/>.

Eakins, Thomas. The Gross Clinic. 1875. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"Women in Medicine & Science." Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson University, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2015. <http://www.jefferson.edu/university/skmc/about/women-in-medicine- science.html>.