From Thomas Eakins to Art Price

Value is subjective.  I understand Thomas Eakins' The Gross Clinic is a masterpiece and consequently I assign great value to it.

Portrait of Dr. Samuel D. Gross (The Gross Clinic), 1875.
(Post-conservation, 2010).  Thomas Eakins, American, 1844-1916.
Oil on canvas, 8 feet x 6 feet 6 inches (243.8 x 198.1 cm).
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Gift of the Alumni Association to
Jefferson Medical College in 1878 and purchased by the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Philadelphia Museum of Art,
with the generous support of more than 3,500 donors, 2007.
Image courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Most people wouldn't assign great value to the oil paintings of my father, Art Price.  At the very least, I can't imagine seeing any Art Price originals being purchased through a grand fundraising campaign that raises tens of millions of dollars in less than two months.

But these oil paintings have plenty of value to me, mainly because of the family connection but also because (in my opinion) they're pretty good paintings.

The following are a sampling of the oil paintings by Art Price that we have in our family collection.  My hope is to ensure that they remain in stable condition for years to come so others will continue to enjoy them.

Harvest scene, oil painting by Art Price.

Machete still life, oil painting by Art Price.

Scene in Noyack, oil painting by Art Price.

Civil War portrait, oil painting by Art Price.

Landscape, oil painting by Art Price.

Horses, oil painting by Art Price.

Iceberg seen at sea, oil painting by Art Price.

A change of plan:  I erroneously stated in my December 20 entry that friends from the Philadelphia Museum of Art would be contributing insights to this blog over the next couple of weeks.  Permission has been withdrawn for this, and therefore I'll have to scramble over the holiday weekend to come up with Plan B.

The special exhibition “An Eakins Masterpiece Restored: Seeing The Gross Clinic Anew” can be seen at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Perelman Building) through January 9.  Treat yourself to one more gift this season and add a visit to your holiday schedule!

© 2010 Lee Price