Family Spars With Pa. Church Leaders Over Planned Art Sale

Relatives of a 19th-century priest who was painted by the noted realist artist Thomas Eakins are battling with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia over its plans to a sell the canvas, which the church says was donated decades ago, The New York Times writes.

The portrait of Msgr. Patrick J. Garvey has long hung at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary outside Philadelphia, where Mr. Garvey served as rector. Descendents of the priest’s family say the painting was only loaned to the church and they are seeking its return, with plans to find another religious institution to care for it.

The seminary, which has some 200 works in its collection, announced plans in March to sell the Garvey portrait and four other Eakins paintings through auction house Christie’s. A lawyer for the family said it would consider legal action if the portrait is not returned, but a spokesman for the archdiocese said the church is “unwavering” in its position that the work was donated by a nephew of Mr. Garvey’s in the 1950s.