1893

The Agnew Clinic

Before Eakins sent his painting The Agnew Clinic to be exhibited at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, he published a reproduction of his work in 1889, the year the painting was completed. Since photographic processes at the time made warm colors too dark and cold colors too light, he decided he had to paint a special black-and-white version of the painting to be photographed. The photogravure of this version, shown here, is now extremely rare. It shows Dr. David Hayes Agnew, his assistants, nurse Mary Clymer--an 1889 graduate of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania--and an audience of medical students, none of whom wear surgical masks or protective clothing while the operation is taking place.