The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-25 00:00:00

ART-UNION OF LONDON.

(THIS DAY•)

The anniversary meeting of the subscribers to this
society, for the purpose of receiving the report of the
council and distributing the prizes, was held this day, at Shr.
noon, in the Lyceum Theatre.
Lord MONTICA.GLE occupied the chair. The stage of
the theatre was thronged with artists and supporters of
St
20
the fine arts. The boxes and pit were crowded. The
company included many elegantly-dressed ladies. 50i
Mr. GODWIN read a report, from which we make the I-3i
following extracts 31
" The subscriptions for the year amount to the sum of
12,9101. 165., and it would have been larger but for ex- 27
traneous circumstances (the disturbed condition of the
public mind, and the threatened imposts which follow in 22
the train of " grim-visaged war.") None have more rea- 25
son to deplore the necessity for war than those who desire
to advance the arts of peace. The achievements of our St.
gallant countrymen and allies will doubtless supp:y mate- St.
rids for our painters and sculptors hereafter, and still it is 50
to be earnestly hoped that the struggle will be short and 50
de:,eive. 20
"Each subscriber of the current year has received an en- 20
graving of Mr. Stanfield's picture, `Tilbury Fort—Wind 10
against Tide,'—worth in ordinary commerce a guinea and 50
a half. 25
"The subscribers of last year have also received the
engravings, " The Surrender of Calais" and "Christ led 25
to Crucifiction." It may serve to suggest the extent of the 25
society's operations if we mention, that in distributing 18
the last named prints over the country, in one week at 20.
the end of last year, five hundred packages were for- St.
warded to that number of local secretaries and agents,
..caining 17,500 prints, with 17,500 sheets of ti'sue- St.
paper, 55,300 copies of prospectus, 13,578 receipts, and the 25
same number of print-orders, 8,000 almanacs, and 10,265
St. St.
other papers, making a total of 135,715 pieces.
" For the ensuing year it is proposed to offer to each 10
subscriber an impression of a plate by Mr. Willmore, St
10.
A E. R.A. from the picture " A Water Party," by Mr. J.
J. Chalon, R.A., together with a volume containing 30 St.
wood engravings illustrative of " Childe Farold," from St.
drawings by Messrs. Ansdell, Cope, RA., E. Corbould, St.
Dodgson, Duncan, T. Faed, John Gilbert, James Godwin, St.
F. Goodall, A.R. A., J. Holland, Hulme, Hart, R. A., St.
Lake Price, Leitch, Selous, Tenniel, and Wehnert. The St.
Council have reason to believe that this will be a beauti- 1122
ful work. 50
"The lithograph from Mr. Frith's picture from the 16i,
Bourgeois Gentilhown,e, "The Three Bows," which Mr. 161
Maguire was commissioned to produce, has been corn-
St.
plated, plated, and the right to receive copies of it will be allotted
to-day. As it is a very satisfactory production, your 14
Council have commissioned Mr. Maguire to make a com- 50
1:4.1.-w-n.pi. from " The Supper Scene," by the same 20
artist, from the same play. 11J
" The Council have the satisfaction of announcing that 10
the " Flaxman" medal has been successfully executed by St.
Mr. Henry Weigall, and they congratulate the members St.
on the production of so beautiful and excellent a specimen 20
of a branch of art which they have always been desirous 10
of encouraging, and which they consider not to be suffi- 12
ciently appreziated in this country either in an artistic or St.
an histories,' point of view. The Council had entrusted 50
the execution of a medal of Flaxman to the late Wm. 40
Wyon, R.A., but his untimely death precluded the accom-
25
25
plishment of their purpose, and caused the delay which has
occurred. Impressions of this medal will be allotted to- St.
day. The medal of the above distinguished artist, the 812:
late Mr. Wyon, by his son, Mr. Leonard Wyon, is cora- St.
plated, and will be issued on a future occasion. St.
" Mr. Thorneycroft has executed an equestrian statuette 50
of the Queen, as her Majesty was seen in the camp at Chob- 25
ham, an exciting scene foreshadowing a stern reality little 100
contemplated. Copies of this statuette, in bronze, will be St.
distributed to-day. Some bronzes of "Satan' Dismayed,"
copies of the composition illustrative of " Wellington's 25
Entry into Madrid," produced in electrotype, after the 50
model by Mr. Jeffreson, and porcelain statuettes of " Soli- 20
tulle," and the " Dancing Girl Reposing," will also be in-
cluded in the distribution. The manufacture of bronzes in St.
this country, notwithstanding the impulse given by our 50
proceedings in this respect, is still very limited, and might St,
most usefully be increased. There is here a promising 16
field for the exercise of British ingenuity and skill at pre- 16
sent little worked. The production of artistic forms in 8
zinc, a branch of art carried to considerable perfection 8
abroad, is altogether neglected in this country, and the 50
same may be said of cameo-cutting. 10
" Following up their previous endeavours to aid in the 10
improvement of iron castings, the Council have determined
on the execution of an ornamental vase in that material, 20
from a fine example in the British Museum, for the sub- 2C
scribers of a future year. In other branches of art, they 10
have commissioned the production, in porcelain statuary, 10
of a reduced copy of the beautiful antique bust "Cleite,"
in the Townley Collection. They also propose to put in St
hand forthwith a volume of wood engravings, from fine n,
pictures by deceased British artists—works " clothing the z‘
palpable and familiar with golden exhalations of the Si
dawn." 178 works of art were purchased by the prize- Si
holders last year from the various public exhibitions of the
SI
season, ranging in value from 2501. downwards. These
were exhibited in the Suffolk-street, Gallery, by the kind ,
permission of the Society of British Artists, and were
visited by very large numbers of persons, as usual without h'
the slightest accident, although for part of the time the 1:
general public were admitted without any restriction.
" The Council have lost the co-operation of a valued 22,
member of their body, and frequent attendant at their
meetings—the Honourable Mr. Justice Talfourd, of whom
it is sufficient to say that his death is mourned by the r
country. The retiring members are Baron de Goldsmid, '1"
William Leaf, Esq., and the Very Rev. the Dean of St. r
Paul's. To fill the four vacancies thus caused, the Hon. 1;
Mr. Justice Williams, E. W. Field, Thos. Macdonald, Esq., 2
and W. J. Smith, Esq., have been elected. The reserved
fund now amounts to the sum of 5,7641.
" The following is a statement of the receipts and expen-
diture :
Amount subscribed £12,91.0 16 0
Set apart for purchase of pictures ---
and other prizes
Cost of engraving 1,822 1i 3
Printing and other expenses

£12,910 16 0 '
" The sum set apart for prizes, to be selected by the
prizeholders themselves, will be thus allotted, viz
25 works, at 2lO each.
20 „
30 „
30 „
30 „
14 ,
20 ,
12 ,

. 80
150 „
.. 200 „
250 „

1 2/
" To these are added-
-5 Bronzes of her Majesty.
2 Bronzes of " Satan Dismayed."
5 Bronzes in relief of " The Duke of Wellington
entering Madrid.
40 Tazzas in iron.
60 Parian Statuettes, " Solitude."
70 Porcelain Statuettes, " The Dancing Girl Reposing."
30 Silver Medals of Flaxman ; and
500 Impressions of the lithograph, " The Three Bows.'
" Making in all 913 prizes,—being about one to every
thirteen members.
At a recent artistic dinner, Mr. Disraeli, commenting on
the difficulty with which the mass of the people had been
led to appreciate art, and sympathise with artists, and in-
quiring into the causes of this, asked with reference to
those who attributed it to our devotion to money-making,
if it were true that we are so entirely devoted to material
interests, that a general feeling for the fine arts cannot be
supported and maintained in England? "If we examine
the evidence," said the speaker, " I must confess it does
not seem. to me to substantiate that theory. Who, for
example, are the most munificent and most influential pa-
trons of the fine arts ? Do we not find them among the
most busy classes? Among those who are suppposed to
be entirely devoted to the pursuits of material fortune, the
manufacturers and merchants of England. One of the
great features of the present day is the taste shown by the
middle classes for the find arts. "I do not mean to say,"
he continued, "that the aristocracy of England have not
i always been most distinguished by their taste for, and
have not been foremost in their support of, the fine arts,
by which they have benefitted by the refinement and cul-
tivation of their minds ; but is the great feature of society
in the present day that the most munificent patrons of the
fine arts are found among the middle classes." That the
Art-Union of London has greatly contributed to bring
about this result is the chief boast of its supporters, and
their chief reward ; and it is their further aim to extend
this taste until it influence all classes of society."
The noble CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report.
Sergeant ThomrsoN seconded the motion.
The report was then agreed to.
The drawing of the prizes was then proceeded with.
The following were among the earliest numbers drawn
:rom the wheel:
4,051 Mr. W. Saunders, of Burton-on-Trent...
6,994 J. T. Jay, Hakewell, Norfolk
6,995 W. Massey, Walton, Norfolk
2,839 John Tillit, of Milton-terrace, Wandsworth
road
10,535 C. Coles, of Winchester
6,945 F. Alexander, of Rudham
7,820 Mr. Newbury, of Wilton
3,229 Rev. W. Emery, of Cambridge
10,091 John Vining, Richmond-hill, Clifton
8,7'45 E. Jones, of Quebec
7.;230 A. Alacrone, Lime-street, Preston
'8,134 John Stewart, Maitland-street, Edinburgh
1,302 Mrs. Walker, Upper Harley-street
1,106 C. Wilson, of Leadenhall street
5,076 G. Dale, of Chichester
1,245 E. Barnard, Cannon-row, Westminster ,
11,586 Mrs. Livingstone, Cheltenham
946 A. Wilkinson, of Sloane-street

AtiuvAL or GOLD.—The whole of the recent A.us-
traUan arrivals have proved inadequate to meet the de-
mand for gold for the continent, and a further consider-
able sum was taken yesterday from the Bank of England.
FALL OF SNow.--Between ten and eleven o'clock
yesterday morning the metropolis was visited with a fall
of snow. The flakes were large ; but the descent was
only of momentary dui ation. About two o'clock also-
they fall of snow took place, which continued for some
time. Considerable curiosity was manifested at so un-
expected an occurrence.
AMSTERDAM AND ROTTERDAM PRODUCE MARKETS.—
The weekly reviews from the Amsterdam and Rotter-
dam produce markets mention that prices were rather
firmer, owing to increased operations. In coffee the
demand, although principally for local consumption, had
caused higher rates. Sugar, raw and refined, was well
supported. No great variation was noticeable in tea or
indigo, and the quotation for rice was steady.
ROUEN.—The letters from Rouen state that the
market for manufactures had slightly recovered, the fa-
vourable state of the weather having influenced business.
BAR SILVER.—The bar silver brought by the last
West India steamer was sold to-day for the continent at
30id.—a decline of an eighth.
DEPARTURES FOR AUSTRALIA.—The departures from
the port of London for the Australian colonies during
the past week show a decrease. They have comprised
altogether ten vessels—six to Port Phillip, with an ag-
gregate burden of 3,051 tons ; two to Adelaide, with
an aggregate burden of 260 tons; one to Sydney, of
732 tons ; and one to New Zealand, of 640 tons. 1 hei,
total capacity was, consequently, 5,329 tons. The rates
of freight hale generally exhibited stead nears