Stephan Salisbury reports in the Philadelphia Inquirer today that "a coalition of cultural institutions, foundations, city officials and individuals - led by the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts - has been formed in an effort to keep Thomas Eakins' masterpiece, The Gross Clinic, in the city." For background, see my earlier post here.
Anne d'Harnoncourt, director of the Art Museum, is quoted as saying "I think we're rolling here. There have been some wonderful offers of support, large and small."
Full press release here.
Organizers have also established a fund for donations and a hotline for those seeking information. Donations may be made here or checks payable to the "Fund for Eakins' Masterpiece" may be sent to Fund for Eakins' Masterpiece, c/o the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Box 7646, Philadelphia, Pa. 19101-7646. The hotline number is 215-684-7762.
There will also be a rally tomorrow between 10 am and 11 am in front of Jefferson's Alumni Hall. Philadelphia artblog asks: "Has there ever before been a rally in favor of a work of art?"
UPDATE: Post-rally report (with pictures) here. More here.
