Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-01-21

Friend G The yearly meeting OF the American
Art Union Society was held last evening, Dec. 9th,
/, the Tabernacle, when the Notwithstanding III
,u,nbcr TO two hundred and fty-six and in value to
,hout Gnry thousand dollars together with two hun
Ired md fifty valuable bronze and silver medals were
distributed nv 10, among the members | have con-
GUIDED to devote sheet this week to the merits oil MA
Institution, under the impression that many OF your
,o,Jrs orc NOT ms familiar as they would find it their
interest to be, with its Object history and prospects
Indeed, | find that even here, where II should be
known Ignorance exists as the result doubtless OF IT'S
p,rulior organization and that. while citizens very
generally yield it their support Until a few years
since this city endured and justly the rcproach OF be-
ing very far in the rear Of Boston, Washington amt
Philadelphia in a taste and care for the Arts OF De
sign So general was this careessncss that but very
few of the wealthy cmbcllislcd their paror walls with
a picture OF any merit or their grounds with appro-
PIRATE statuary. A disregard for tasteful renencns
appeared throughout the entire arrangements OF the
city, in stiff style OF house architecture and IN a
want of ease in the outdoor decorations. Architects
and builders planned aud applied with an eye singled
to the right-augle though no form in the wide
realm Of the mathematics could be relied upon,
that OF their glorious Square The streets were all
parallel or perpendicular to each other and the houses
assumed the same general nppcaranc"-squarc roofs,
square sides and square insdc-one thing always at
night angles to the next two things Summers after
visiting Philadelphia, pcnncd this sentiment: " Ii the
Shakers had been consulted at the creation, what
chcckcr-boaid world this would have been :" Had
| he visited New York in tue same hunor, fancy he
would have attributed portion at least Of that great
work to the drab-iaaloncd sect
The " New York Gallery OF Fine Arts" had been
established, but its standing and usefulness may be
gathered from the description given OF it by Fmch
who visited it in 1893: From the Civ Hall though
it raincd, stepped across an exhibition of picurcs
but am sorry TO say | was not paid for my dragged
clothes aud soaking feet, by any thing | saw there.
Most OF the pictures were fiat, cold and wOodcny.
These, after what had seen, convinced me that the
New Workers have better eye for the grnces OF Art
: than for the beauties of Nature" The criti1ue was
severe but Just.
Such the state of things in this city, aud
such It's rcpntatlon when, seven years ago, men of
pride and intelligence set themselves to the task Of cc
waiting the arts into respect The work
one and they experienced difficulty in resting upon
practical basis. They conceived, and indeed it WAS
very clear, that the Gallery Of Fine Arts" which
, had been in existence a long time, had failed to
compi-h the object OF its creaiion-the diffusion of
knowledge on these subjects and the encouragement
t, Of native talent. Nor again they satisfied with
the models offered in either Of the institutions ui Phil
ducla 'tsOll, winch, although tntN achieved
e more than the in their city, yet appeared
come tar short in their results of what should be
:, tanned. The idea for these had been imported from
: Europe and applied after some slight modification !;
= retaining, nevertheless Objectionable features not
Is Objectionable when applied in England but decidedly
II SO here conflicting with certain democratic prcu-
- dccs. The interested gentlemen alluded to-Mclud-
" ing OF the ables members of the bar, and mcr-
~ chants who had matufcd taste in their intercourse
with ioei Incys devised plan, which, by conforming
at to the spirit u our institutions, has proved snguary
:. successful y Society was formed simple in lis
ganization and decidedly democratic in all H. work
y ing. The general features in that plan these
- lSt. The required of each condition oi Hrm-
f. Lcrsllp should be 50 trllmg a. to come within the
;k means ct nearly every 81 That its officers, with
e. the exception OF the superintendent and collector
a. should receive no remuneration hut the honor
panyng the station. 81. That .'ter deirayng he i'll
X deulal expenses OF the building appropriated tor the
u Gallery from the funds, the balance should be applied
to the purchasing OF specimens of Art, remain in the
public rooms OF the Society, Tor free exhibition until
the 2lh day OF December and then be distributed hy
lot. But To the plan in detail The executive con-
, mittce hold, under lease ct ten years a building
No. 49, broadway. Daring the past year .hey have
nttcd up this edliice IN an appropriate and tasteful
" manner Tor keeping and exhibiting pictures, &c. Tie
Gallery is ! II feet in length - in width and Is high
- well carpctcd and well lighted day aud night Visit
- ors admitted free OF charge from cnht in iii,
10 morning until ten IN the evening, except on the sab
80 bath aud during the loyiays As the result of thu
90 arrangement, those who have not the means of visit
go 'ns other exhibitions, can, without money and whou
20 price, elevate their taste through study OF some
the best specimens OF sculpture and painting For sew
30 era months, their have been ,hronged with de-
lighted visitors who have escorted
and instruction The rich and poor the old and youuI
the citizen and stranger have gone in hiihcr to S,l
that refinement which Is the legitimate offspring OF ia,
n, nae arts or knowledge OF that science winch -,
m Alison mas Tor It's object to increase the number
those who can discriminate and nudge" do not cx
IL nggcmjr when say is the most fashionable resort
NJ the wealthy in this great CITY, and the only one whcr
II the rich and the poor with the same attention
cf and are afforded equal privileges They seem, then
ed TO receive from the enough of the gencrou
an spirit and free lite OF Nature, To raise them above In
s1uIIcss prcluliccs OF money distinctions and to kind
~ them tor the time at least, love sympathy 10
IA their kind,
- The payment OF five dollars secures a ncmbcr,hi
an Tor one year and entities the member to an enerayn.
the plate OF which is executed expressly for the 30
clriy In addition, II entities him To one share in Il,
annual drawing, at which the years collection ct EN-
po- Cravings, paintings, &c. are distributed among III
,r members
Al the last meeting, the ratio of the number OF mem
Nc brrs to that Of the collection gave to each one chanc
IRE IN twenty four The OF the paintings purcha,,
nd by this lnstuti during the past year ranged Iron
los lilly to seven hundred do,ars-thc whole number tw
hundred aud tiity siN and the aggregate amount q,
pended for them, near forty thousand dollars TT
- most expensive painting IN the Gallery, by a luck
"" turn OF the wheel, was drawn by very poor bat ,c
o., industrious composItor IN one OF the Cltv offices
us whom the society has given the printing Of IT. eat
ass Iogues to furnish HIM with the means of sul,-,,u
ore May We not say that, Fortune in ayorn. h, brave
~ has, IN this instance, lntmatcd her dcsiens With
md terence 10 this praIsoworthy Institution hhas arca,
tr- cNeried an influence Tor good Having Tor It's oc
ns all OF good TINT Is prompted by feeling and all
nal great that Is guided by Judgment" il must strength,
SIS ts foundations and extend It's ouworks Every y,
since 1t received Its charter Tor the promotion of Il
ur- Fine Arts in the United States" it has increased
ace catalogue OF members and maurcd its usetlncss
Mn I'll now has patrons in every State and almost c,,
ch town of the unlon-in Canada, Forida. and Nr,,
1t has given nom twenty to forty thousand doIa
Il