The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-25 00:00:00

ART-U.NION OF LOND,,N--DRAWING OF

TILE PRIZES.

The meeting of this institution took place yesterday,
in the Haymarket Theatre, the house being kindly lent
for-the purpose by the lessee, Mr. Buckstone. Lord
Menteagle had promised to take the chair, but as his
lordship, for some reason unexplained, did not make his
appertrance, Mr. H. T. Hope, M.P., was requested to
act on the occasion, and performed the duties most
efficiently.
The coune;l's report observed that last year the sub-
scribers numbered considerably more than 14,000, and
that the society has in hand a reserve sum of 7,000/. A
statement was made of the manner in which the sum to
be expended in prizes had been divided ; and a detailed
account was given of the various works of art—such as
busts, prints, statuettes, medalliong, &c., which the
council had selected either 'for prizes or distribution to
the subscribers. It was stated that the council, having
taken into consideration the fact that a great number of
persons had subscribed during several years without
receiving a, prize, theyhad. this year set apart a valuable
bust for every unsuccessful subscriber of ten years'
standing.

It appears that the number of the society's agents has
greatly increased of lat.r in very distant lands, and that
through their exertions a knowledge and taste for the
arts is penetrating into localities hitherto strangers to
such harmonising influences; and, moreover, that the
list of subscribers has been greatly enlarged by contri-
butors from abroad, Boston in the United States, and
Hobart Town having furnished between two and three
hundred subscribers each. The widely spreading love
for art was dwelt upon, and properly, as a subject for
general gratulation, arid it was stated in proof of this
extension of taste, that at Ohio a society formed for the
purpose of distributing works of art had lately numbered
upwards of 27,000 subscribers.
After the reading of the report, which, it must be said
was very instructive, and exceedingly well drawn up,
votes of thanks were unanimously passed to the council,
and to the hon. secretaries, Messrs. Godwin and Pocock.
In returning thanks, Mr. Godwin took occasion to
remark upon the energy and unanimity which had cha-
racterised the various -councils of the Art-Union ever
since the establishment o(f the institution.
Warmly
.expressed thanks were also given to Mr.
Buckstone, -for his having so liberally placed the theatre
at the disposal of the council.
Mr. Hope then commented ably upon " the report,"
and happily remarked that it was a most gratifying sign
of the times that, although we were plunged in a san-
guinary war, and that so much money was wrung from
the community for a very different purpose than that of
fostering the peaceful arts, still the Art-Union not only
maintained its position, but positively progressed, its
subscribers actually numbering, during this year of strife,
500 more than on any former occasion. Mr. Hope also
congratulated the council upon their wiselyand humanely
recommending that .a more ready admission to public
buildings be given to the bulk of the people, and laid
great stress upon that portion of the council's recom
mendation which referred more particularly to the Royal
Academy, remarking that although it was perhaps a
somewhat delicate subject to touch upon, it must not be
forgotten that the Royal Academy enjoyed great privi-
leges at the hands of the nation, being housed most hand-
somely at the public expense, and deriving its annual
income no less from the exertions of others than from
those of its own members ; which privileges and advan-
tages he thought should inspire the members of the
Royal Academy with a more liberal feeling towards the
public than they had hitherto. evinced.
After the Chairman had concluded his business-like
and very sensible address, the thawing of the prizes took
place. Some of the larger prizes fell to foreign lands, a
contributor from New Zealand carrying off a 1501. and
a contributor from Boston (America), a 2501. picture.
Through the libefality of the members of the National
Institution of Fine Arts, the pictures purchased, with
the money prizes obtained yesterday, will be exhibited
at the Portland Gallery, Regent-street.