The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-23 00:00:00

to the Art-Union of London, so far as is known ; while
it has even already induced many, who entertained
doubts on the 'natter, to give it the advantage of their
countenance. And here they cannot omit offering
publicly respectful thanks to his Royal Highness the'
Duke of Cambridge, President, for the interest his Royal
Highness manifested in the successful issue of the late
proceedings, and his personal endeavours on several
occasions to obtain it. His Royal Highness has himsel
brought the subscriptions of various members of the
Royal Family, and has been graciously pleased at all
times to give assistance to the Committee.
" The list of provincial and foreign secretaries has
been increased considerably, and now numbers 338. In
addition to New York, Mexico, Nova Scotia, Hobart
Town, Ceylon, Bombay, and Singapore, mentioned in
the last report, the Society has now active correspondents
at Coblentz, Wiesbaden, Aix-la-Chapelle, New Bruns-
wick, Dominica, Monte Video, La Guayra, Toronto, in
Montreal, and last, but certainly not the least in im-
portance, at Canton, in the Cele.tial Empire I
" The prizeholders of last year purchased 253 works of
art, including two pieces of sculpture. These were
exhibited for the usual time, at first to the subscribers
and their friends,. and afterwards gratuitously to the
public, and were visited by 250,000 persons without the
occurrence of any accident. _ _ _

"Relative to the selection of the works of art on that
occasion, it is the painful duty of the Committee to re-
prebate in the strongest terms the conduct of one of the
prizeholders, who bought unworthily to divert the fends
of the Association from their proper course fur his own
pecuniary advantage. The artists to whom he applied
proved themselves men of honour and integrity, and his
scheme failed. The Committee minutely investigated
the occurrence, and received the fullest proof that the
selection ultimately made was a bond fide transaction, or
they would assuredly have declared the prize forfeited,
and allowed the subscriber to seek what remedy he
might. They deemed it right, however, with a view to
the attainment of the objects of the Association and the
protection of artists, to make the Regulations as to
selection' more stringent than they were before, and
have accordingly provided that no arrangement what
ever shall be made, or attempted to be made, between a
prizeholder and an artist, or by any parties on their
behalf, in the selection of a work of art, by which a
prizeholder may obtain, or attempt to obtain, the return
of a portion of the amount of a prize, or other valuable
consideration ; that no prizeholder shall sell, or attempt
to sell, the right of selection; and that should any at
tempt to evade the published regulations be discovered,
the amount of the prize shall be forfeited and merge in
the funds of the Society. In this determination they
aro quite satisfied they will receive the support of all who
appreciate rightly the real objects of the Association,
and they would state emphatically, it is only these they
desire to find in the list of subscribers. The engraving
due to the subscribers of last year, The Castle of
Ischia,' will be delivered, in pursuance of the notice al-
ready sent to every subscriber, on and after the 7th of
May next.
" The Waterloo Soldier Convalescent,' engraved by
Mr. G.T. Doo, after Mr. Mulready, R.A., due to the sub-
scribers of the present year, is approaching completion.
In addition to this print the subscribers will receive for
each guinea paid, a series of designs in outline illustra-
tive of Thomson's Castle of Indolence,' made. by Mr.
William Rimer. The drawings have been placed in the
hands of Messrs. Webb, Whitfield, H. W ard, and
Joubert, and the engravings from them will be distri-
buted as soon as they are completed.
"Every subscriber for 1846 will receive an impression
of a line engraving, Jephtha's Daughter,' after Mr.
O'Neil, by Mr. Peter Lightfoot, which is already far
advanced, with such other advantages as the Committee
may be able to afford.
"For the subscribers of some future year the Com-
mittee have been enabled, by the kind permission of the
artist and of the proprietor, Mr. Willes, of Goodrest,
Berkshire, to place in the hands of Mr. C. Rolls and
Mr. Frederick Heath, two pictures by Mr. Uwins, R.A.,
• The Last Embrace,' and The Neapolitan Marriage,'
to be engraved by them for the Society and distributed
as a pair.
"The Committee look anxiously to the result of the
offered premium of 5001. for the best original picture
illustrative of English history. The cartoons are to be
received in competition on the Ist of next January, and
the Committee venture to repeat to the artists of the
United Kingdom their earnest hope that a work will
be obtained for engraving creditable to them and to the
country. -

" A-statement of the engraving account, still open
will be published with this report.
" In reply to the offered premium of 60/ for the best
consecutive series of not less than ten designs in outline,
illustrative of some epoch in Biblical or British History,
or of the work of a British author, nineteen sets were
received, from which the Committee selected a series
from the Revelations of St. John,' afterwards found to
be by Mr. George Elgar Hicks, of Lymington, Hamp-
shire, as entitled to the reward. Considering that much
talent was displayed by some of the competitors, and
anxious to stimulate young artists to exertion, they fur-
ther awarded honorary premiums of 20/. each to Mr. G.
E. Sintzenick, Mr. W. Cave Thomas, and Mr. G.
Scharf, jun.
" With the view of inducing the production of finer
and more elaborate works in lithography than are now
general in this country, the Committee some time ago
placed in the hands of Mr. Templeton Mr. E. M. Ward's
excellent picture, La Fleur's Departure' (selected by a
prizeholder in the last distribution), to be executed on
stone of a large size. As this is not yet finished, it will
be made to form part of the next year's arrangements.
" In continuation of the Society's endeavours to en-
courage the production of bronzes, Mr. John Bell's
statue of the Eagle Slayer,' exhibited in Westminster
Hall last year, has been reduced by Mr. Edward Wyon,
and of this twenty copies in bronze will be distributed
to-day. The thanks of the Society are due to Mr. Bell
for the liberal manner in which he placed this figure at
the disposal of the Committee. For the ensuing year
Mr. Foley's statue, The Boy at the Stream,' has been
reduced by Mr. Cheverton's machinery, and will be pro-
duced in bronze by Mr. Foley himself.
" Your Committe have long borne in view the con-
nexion between manufactures and art, and have felt the
importance of leading one to the aid of the other. Con•
sidering the porcelain manufacture to be of considerable
consequence, and greatly dependent on art, they pur-
pose to reduce a statue to a convenient size, and to issue
a certain number of copies in that material. Mr. Gib-
SOP, R.A., when in England kindly offered the use of any
of his works for this purpose, and the Committee have
determined on adopting The Narcissus' for the first
experiment, his diploma piece at the Royal Academy.
Some difficulties which arose at the Academy have de-
layed the completion of the intention, but these are now
removed, and the work will be proceeded with imme •
diately by Messrs. Copeland and Garrett. Mr. A. J.
Stothard has completed the medal commemorative of
Sir Joshua Reynolds ; the Committee propose distri-
buting to-day to thirty subscribers the right to receive
an impression of it in silver. Any subscriber who may
desire to have a copy of the medal in bronze, in lieu of the
engraving for the present year, will become entitled to
do so by forwarding to the office a note to that effect.
" The want of encouragement in the art of gem en-
graving, at present seriously felt, has been urged upon
them in several quarters. It has been shown that we have
no artists in this department capable of engraving a figure
equal to those which were produced in England a few
years ago, and that there is not sufficient inducement to
lead engravers to pursue such a course of study as would
enable them to execute works of first-rate excellence;
the Committee take this upportunity to draw public at-
tention to the fact.
"Since the last meeting Thomas Griffith, Esq., M.A.;
George John Morant, Esq.; W. J. Smith, Esq., F.S. A.;
Henry G. Atkinson, Esq., F.G.S.; and Arthur Tooke,
Esq., M.A., have retired rom the Committee ; and the
Right Hon. the Earl of Arundel and Surrey ; the Rev.
Edward Coleridge, of Eton; T. C. Harrison, Esq., F. L.S.;
and: Mr. Sergeant Thompson, have been elected to fill
the vacancies thus crested.
The account of receipts and disbursements is as
follows :
The amount set apart, according to the foregoing
statement, for the purchase of works of art, viz., 9,6501.,
will be thus allotted :-
40 Works of Art of the value of 10/. each.
55 Works of Art of the value of 15L each.
39 Works of Art of the value of 20/. each.
37 Works of Art of the value of 25L each.
25 Works of Art of the value of 301. each.
25 Works of Art of the value of 40/. each.
14 Works of Art of the value of 50/. each.
12 Works of Art of the value of 60/. each.
10 Works of Art of the value of 701. each.
10 Works of Art of the value of SOL each,
6 Works of Art of the value of 1001. each.
3 Works of Art of the value of 150/ each.
2 Works of Art of the value of 2001. each.
and 2 Works of Art of the value of 300/. each.
To these are to be added twenty bronzes of ' The Eagle
Slayer,' and thirty medals of Reynolds. To save the
time of the meeting, the medals will be allotted to the
first thirty names drawn consecutively at the close of the
general distribution.
" The reserved fund now amounts to 1,5251. 2s.,con-
sisting simply of the ilaterest on subscriptions received,
the sums unexpended by prizeholders, and the profit on
the sale of catalogues at the exhibitions. In order to
enlarge it, the Committee renew their exhortations for
the payment of subscriptions early in the year.
"The Committee are anxious to increase to the utmost
the efficiency of the Association.
" The various new modes of multiplying works of art,
the announcement of which has recently startled the
public, will not be disregarded by them, so far as they
may be likely to assist in spreading abroad universally
works of fine art. The steam-press has made good
literature cheap, and the increased demand consequent has
made it cheaper still, without weakening in any degree
its worth and power. The delight and instruction it
gives are extended to all and lessened to none. So it
should be, and will be, with art. It is recorded of
Apelles that he could not endure -that a picture should
have but ono master ; ho thought that the works of