Complex sentence: Although there was resistance to his plans to start an art gallery under his presidency in 1881 the society started to collect pictures and in 1882 its council agreed to start a'national collection of works of art'.
Split into simpler sentences: Although there was resistance to his plans to start an art gallery under his presidency in 1881 the society started to collect pictures. In 1882 its council agreed to start a'national collection of works of art'.