The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-27 00:00:00

" REPORT.

" For the sixth time your Committee have the gratifica-
tion to meet you %vita a most satisfactOry statement of the in-
crease of the Society, both in means and influence. An in-
crease, indeed, which exceeds their most sanguine anticipa-
tions, and is almost unexampled in the history of artistical
associations.
" In the last Report made to the Subscribers the progress
of the Society was traced from the first year of its establish-
ment, when the amount collected was 489/. 65., to the close
of the year 1841, when your Committee congratulated the
members on having attained a subscription of 5,562/. 18s., an
amount which some considered would net be exceeded in tu-
tore years. On the present occasion, however, they have the
pleasure to state that the number of members is 11,919, of
whom—one subscribes 10 guineas, one 7 guineas, thirty-three
5 guineas, four 4 guineas, fifteen 3 guineas, one hundred and
eighty-three 2 guineas, and eleven thousand six hundred and
eighty-two 1 guinea each, making a total of 12,9051. I Is.
When it is remembered that the greater part of this large sum,
to be applied in promotion of British Art, could not have been
so appropria' ed but for the means afforded by this Association ;
that nearly twelve thousand persons in this one year are led by
it necessarily to think more of the Arts, be it much or little,
than would otherwise be the case ; and further, that by its ope-
rations, a copy of a fine effort of mind, by one of the most ac-
complished artists of our period, now unfortunately no more,
will be hung upon the walls of every one of the Subscribers,
silently to exalt human nature, the advantages of the plan,
and the good (good in the highest sense of the word) which
ought to result from it to the whole British nation, become at
once strikingly apparent.
" To centemplate advantages arising to the whole nation
from this Association may scent to some at first sight extra-
vagant. Surely, however, it is not so. Man affects man. The
elevation of one mind entails involuntarily the elevation of
thousands; and what in the first instance is special, becomes at
last universal. As has been justly remarked, it is hardly pus.
sible to doubt that the distant inhabitants of the Frigid Zone
have been benefited by the writings of Shakspere, or the paint-
ings of Raffaelle, although they may neither have read the one
nor studied the other.

" With regard to the possibility of failing to produce this
good, or of abusing the powerful means at the disposal of the
Association, your Committee will venture to speak hereafter.
" Pursuing the statistical details of the Society's operations,
they have to report that one hundred and thirty-two pictures,
and one piece of sculpture, were purchased by the prizeholders
of the year 1841, at the cost of 4,3301. 195., being 6801. 19s.
more than the total amount of prizes. A list of these works of
art was printed at the end of the last Report, so that it is not
necessary to introduce it here. They were exhibited four
weeks, by the kind permission of the Society of British Artists,
in the Suffolk-street Gallery, together with the various en-
gravings issued by the Art-Union. For the first three weeks
the members and their friends were admitted by tickets, and
for seven days afterwards the public were invited by advertise.
ments to visit the gallery.
" It was estimated that during these four weeks, no less
than 75,000 persons viefed the collection, and it is a grati-
fying circumstance to record that, notwithstanding the pressure
occasioned by the crowded state of the rooms, not one accident
occurred. During the Exhibition a large number of cata-
logues were sold, by which means a considerable sum of money
was realised. With this amount, derived for the most part
from visitors, your Committee propose to commence the forma-
tion of a Reserved Fund,' to be increased hereafter by
the addition of all monies accruing to the Society, other
than the actual subscriptions of the current year. By
this means the future stability of the Art-Union will be
rendered more certain, the trustees secured with regard to
prospective engagements with engravers and others, which it
may be desirable to make, and a fund will be provided, where-
from Art in the abstract may ultimately be aided, without any
sacrifice of the Subscribers' pecuniary interests.
" In the month of December last, prints of Mr. Charles
Landseer's picture—' The Tired Huntsman,' ably engraved
in the line manner, by Mr. H. C. Shenton, were distributed,
through the kind assistance of Messrs. P. and D. Colnaghi, to
the subscribers of the year 1840. Proof impressions were pre-
sentedto her Majestrthe Queen, and to his Royal Highness
the Prince Albert, who were graciously pleased to accept the
same, and to express very satisfactory opinions.
" For the subscribers of 1841,111 r. W. Chevalier is now en-
graving Mr. J. P. Knight's picture, ' The Saint's Day.'
The engraver had engaged that the plate should be ready for
printing from in March last. Circumstances, however, have
occurred to delay it, and it will, therefore, not be published
quite so early as was hoped for. Your Committee feel satisfied
the subscribers will agree with them in thinking it less objec-
tionable to wait for excellence, than by any undue haste to risk
the goodness of the work.
" Formerly, the number of impressions required in order to
present to each subscriber a copy of the print, would have
thrown great difficulty in the way of the Society's operations.
Lately, however, Science, in return for the many benefits de-
rived by her Illustrative Art, has come in powerfully to the
aid of her ally, and your Committee hope, by means of the
Electrotype process, to be able to present to every Member a
perfect impression of the various prints which may be issued
by the Society.
" For the Subscribers of the present year Hilton's picture,
Una enferinss the Cottage,' has been placed in the hands of
Mr. W. H. Watt, to be engraved in line.
" The readers of Spenser being comparatively few, it may
he desirable to refer briefly • to the passage in the Fairie
Queene illustrated in this picture. Una (by whim
the 1 oct intends to represent Truth), while wandering
through the woods, depressed by misfortunes, is attacked by a
lion. With a perception of her innocence, however, he kisses
her feet, and becomes her attendant ;to exemplify how
simple truth subdues avenging wrong.' Meeting a damsel,
Una endeavours to learn where she may obtain shelter; but
being unable to overtake her, follows the girl to the cottage of
her blind mother, represented by the poet as praying day and
night ' upon her
,beads devoutly penitent.' Here
-the door is
at once shut upon her, but Una 's ' unruly page' with Ws
claws rends the wicket, and it is this moment of the action
that the painter has,chosen to represent. How he has eitecuted
the task is well known ; suffice it now to say the picture is most
honourable to the Britislr school of painting. and that your
Committee owe their warm thanks to Richard Ellison; Esq.,
the owner of • the painting, and to the executors
of the lamented artist, for permitting them to render homage to
his memory, by engraving it for distribution amongst the mem-
bers. Hiltons fame, it may be safely predicted, will
with increase of ages grew,
As streams roll down, enlarging as they flow.'
" The plate is already in an advanced state, and will probably
be fit fur the printer by Christmas next. A redticed etching of
the picture has been kindly presented by Mr. Watt, and will
illustrate this Report when printed for the Subscribers.
" Relative to engravings for future years, your Committee
have the pleasure to state that by the kindness of the respective
owners and artists, Sir Augustus Calcott's picture, ' Raffaelle
and the Fornarina,' belonging to Sir George Philips; and Mr.
Mulready's picture, ."f he Convalescent,' the property of Lord
Northwick, will be engraved for the Society.
For the imme-
diate execution of the former of these, arrangements have been
entered into with Mr. undertaken
L. Stocks, who has to com-
plete the plate within about eighteen months from the present.
time. Your Committee have it in intention to make still
further provision on this bead, in order to ensure, so far as may
be practicable, the delivery of an engraving annually to the
subscribers.
" The Engraving Account for 1841 is not yet closed, and is,
therefore, omitted for the present.
" Reference has been made to the Illustration of the Report.
Your Committee, wishing to obtain an appropriate device,
a premium of
thOffe
tme•hnegr eusivni teha
st ofohre aaddtehsei g
nS oiciiieotyu'tsi
ipnaep ef
or sr,
esraernde• More than
one hundred drawings were submitted, and from those your
Committee selected one, which was found to be by Mr. F. R.
Pickersgill. The subject of it is Minerva encouraging the
Sister Arts.'

" There were, amongst the drawings several other very ex-
cellent designs, and your Committee, desirous of rendering the
Annual Report interesting to the subscribers generally, and so
inducing its preservation as a record of the Society's operations,
as well as to aid, although slightly, the art of wood engraving
—selected two other dev►ces, which, by the kind liberality of
the authors of them, they are enabled to engrave for its
adornment.
" The first (without reference to the order of •merit) is by
Mr. Bonomi, and is described as " Minerva replenishing the
Lamp of the Genius of Art." The second is by Mr. Selous,
and represents " Genius nurtured in the lap of the Society."
The three are engraved respectively by Mr. Thompson, Mr.
Orrin Smith, and Mr. Jackson.
" To the other artists who kindly responded to the adver-
tisement, the Committee on your part return their thanks.
" To continue the grateful duty of acknowledging favours
received, your Committee beg leave to tender their warmept
thanks to the various gentlemen who have acted as provincial
honorary secretaries, or as. agents for the Society. Their
number now amounts to 181, and it is hoped the list will soon
be still further increased.

" A series of Regulations for the appointment of Local Se-
cretaries, and for their after-guidance, has been drawn up, and
may be obtained on application at the office.
" For the due execution of the Society's business, which, as
must be apparent to all, has now become of great magnitude,
your Committee found it necessary to increase the number of
clerks, and to obtain more commodious premises than those for-
merly occupied.
" Chambers in Trafalgar-square, Charing-cross (No. 4), have
been accordingly engaged, and there, for the future, the affairs
of the Association will be conducted. The central position of
Trafalgar-square, and its proximity to the Royal Academy and

I "At the close of last year, your Committee, observing the
great extension of the Society, and feeling the heavy respon-
sibility of its proper conduct, appointed a Sub-Committee to
consider its future prospects, and the most efficient mode of
working its enlarged means. This Sub-Committee devoted
much time to the investigation, and ultimately brought up an
elaborate Report on the subject. This, as it was extensively
reprinted by the periodical press, and is probably known to the
majority of the Subscribers, your Committee do not think it
necessary to publish now. Two of the recommendations con-
tained in it, however, it is proposed to adopt, and to these,
therefore, they beg leave to direct your attention.
" The first, quoting the words of the Report, is as follows
Your Sub-Committee are unanimously of opinion, if a re-
duced model wore to be made of some celebrated group or piece
of sculpture, to a size fitted for a drawing-room table; and if
ten or twenty casts were to be made in bronze, and annually to
form a portion of the prizes, it would meet the general approval
of the Subscribers. This might be done at a moderate expense.
A fine work of art, of a convenient size, would result, and might
be a very efficient instrument in diffusing a taste and love for
art in many a family circle.'
For the execution of this, in the most perfect style, the
Committee have set apart a very considerable sum of money.
" An appropriate subject will be selected, and twenty casts
of it will be made to form prizes for the present distribution.
The casts, it may be expected, will be ready for presentation to
their owners with the other works of art, which will be selected
from the various Exhibitions of the current year.
" The second recommendation is to this effect---' We
also consider that the Art- Union should assist in the encourage-
ment of Medal-die Engraving; and we conceive no means
better calculates' to do this than by commencing a
Medalic Series of the History of British Art. One Hundred
ounds per annum would ensure the execution of the
dies of one medal annually, to be of uniform size, to contain
on it the head of some distinguished British artist, with an
appropriate reverse, taken from one of his works, where prac-
ticable.

" Thus should we at ewes give some scope to the genius of
our countrymen in this important branch, render a just tri-
bute to our departed artists, and best illustrate the • History
of British Art.'

" Anxious to carry out this suggestion in the first style of
art, your Committee called to their assistance Mr. William
Wyon. R. A., and they are happy to be able to state that that
gentleman at once entered warmly into the views of the So-
ciety, and, prompted only by a desire to forward its interest,
undertook to commence the series. The late Sir Francis Chan-
trey, who, 131 his munificent bequests for the encouragement of
art in England has entitled his memory to our greatest respect,
is selected for the subject of the medal. It will not form part
of the present year's proceedings, and the mode of distributing
the impressions, whether as prizes or otherwise, will be a matter
for future consideration.

" The receipts for the current year amount to 12,905/. 11s.,
and the disbursements to 10,572/. 9s. 10d.
. ..

" The amount set apart, according to the foregoing state,
ment, for the purchase of pictures, statuary, or other works of
art, viz. 8,9001. will be allotted as follows :

60 works of art, the value of
£lO each
15 „
880

40 ~
44 11
30 70
PP
20
14 Pf
10
tv
ft ff
68
IP PI
6

9 9
780

I t, f,
1 /1 97