The document discusses Thomas Eakins' painting "The Gross Clinic". It provides background on Eakins and his life as an important American painter, photographer, and educator. It describes how the painting depicts a surgery being performed by Dr. Samuel Gross and includes portraits of 28 individuals watching or assisting. Though considered shocking for its graphic depiction of surgery when unveiled, it established Eakins' technical skill and captured the work of the renowned Dr. Gross, who was a pioneer in surgical techniques.