What you are looking at
Dr. Samuel Gross pauses in the middle of an operation in a lecture theater, holding a bloody scalpel, as students watch from the tiers and a woman hides her face.
Why it is famous
Eakins wanted to show modern American surgery honestly, and it was too bloody for many viewers in 1875. In 2007 the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts bought it together to keep it in Philadelphia.
How big is The Gross Clinic?
The Gross Clinic measures 243.8 × 198.1 cm (96.0 × 78.0 in), without its frame. Its surface is about 11 times the area of the Mona Lisa.
Compare it with other paintings
Where to see it
It is shown at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Museums move and lend paintings. Check the museum's website before you travel to see one work.
Frequently asked questions
Who painted The Gross Clinic?
Thomas Eakins painted The Gross Clinic in 1875.
Where is The Gross Clinic?
The Gross Clinic is in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, United States.
How big is The Gross Clinic?
243.8 × 198.1 cm (96.0 × 78.0 in). Its surface is about 11 times the area of the Mona Lisa.
What is The Gross Clinic made with?
Oil on canvas.
Sources: Wikidata Q1213936; Wikipedia, "The Gross Clinic". Checked October 17, 2026. How we check.