The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-12-21
AMERICAN ART UNION.
the ANNUAL DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES.
Friday Evening, Dec. 40, 1850.
THE CROWD At TRIPLER HALL
The Turns Of the Wheel, and the
Broad and Long Faces.

puuOihS was uIcu throughout Will IooPoctaoio,
but by no means fashionable, audience The sup
per-ten" do not appear to have come forward as
patrons of the fine arts this occasions but their
place was well filled by the middle classes The
anxiety-hope mingled with fear-pictured IN eve
ny countenance, would afford magnificent SUBJ
ject for the pencil of first rate artist. The stage
was occupied by the committee and the press; and
the arrangements were highly creditable to the
Committee of Arrangements.
Among the gentlemen whom we noticed ON the
platform, were the Hon. Charles p. DAILY, Judge OF
the Common Pleas Mayor Woodruff, and Mayor
elect Kingsland; f. G. Benedict, Esq, James T.
Brady, Esq Benjamin H. Jarvis, Esq DR. Homer
Bostwick, Hon. Philip Hone, Hon. Henry J. Ray
mond Capt. Levy. United States Navy; N. b.
Blunt, Esq, and several others whose names I'VE
are unacquainted with 1t is worthy of remark,
that very large proportion OF those on the plat
form were lawyers. Nearly one-half of the au-
dence consisted of the fair sex.
At six O'Clock, the President, A. NJ. CozzENs,
Esq, presented himself to the audience, and, in
the course of few observations, said there were
sixteen thousand ;hree hundred and ten subscrib-
ere, the amount of money received was ISL $50,
and four hundred and fifty pictures by the best
lists Of America and that on the present occa-
sion, the city of New York had contributed more
TO The collection Than On any former occasion.
The Hon. HENRY ]. RAYMOND then came forward
and read report, OF which the following is an
ABSTRACT
REPORT OF TIE COMMITTEE.
The Committee OF Manag, nent have instructed me
to submit TO report Of their proceedings be-
halt OF the American Art Union during the year
closed That duty will be discharged in as few words
as the requirements Of the constitution will permit
The number Of members during the present year IS
1880 and they have placed the of 81 $50 ut the
dhpossl Of the Committee OF Management
OF ttie amount, S16225 have been devoted to the
production Of x epgrav iRgs by American spgravers
from pictures by American artiste aud one copy OF
each OF these engrsvings will be delivered as soon
they can be completed TO ach member Of the instu
tioD.
The rum of $500 has been devoted to the puhuca-
ton OF the Bulletin, Monthly Art journal d.eiSned
to aid Ia advancing the Interests and prom oting the
objects OF the American Art Unien. Of this work,
DISCO copies have been published during the year
and. accomraDisd by 227.oto original etchipgs and
wood cuts, have been placed in the hands Of every
mem Der.
$3.50 paintings. twenty bronze statuettes and six
bronze butts Of Washington, by American artists at
an aggregate Of the cost OF each being
Sl0t 81 They have also ehssed fifty copies Of
lines, by Washington Aston, $50 medals aud sixty
Trumbulis celebrated paintings These works OF
art LEGO In number to be this evening distributed
by lot according TO the provisions Of the constitution
among the members OF the American Art Union.
The Free Gallery has been kept open during the
whole year. except for brief lateral, when 1t vas
closed Tor necessary improvements IL has been more
than usually attractive and has been visited by hun
dreds OF Thousands OF our citizens. we'll as by
strsr gers from every part Of the country
Since last annual meeting, Prosper NJ. wetmore,
Eco. TO whose intelligent. energetic and public
greatly indebted has resigned tb. rr.sdsps~ OF the
institution by the unanimous vote OF the committed,
N Colzeps Esq, has been elected to that Office.
Tbh summary statement Of the trsnsa actions of the
year will enable every one - Judge for himself how
far the objects for which the Art Union
,.asi,hsd have been advanced By the iAbsrs OF the
The purpose ofthe in,titutisn is declared, by the
arts In the United States" That object f. to be at
tanned by promoting the sale Of works Of for upon
artist himself In this country art lacks the conii
tiops which have aided Its growth In other lands Art
sts tn re have lived upon the patronage Of the rich
The gifts Of royal and Of noble munihoencs, never
more ~srthily bestowed, have relieved them nom all
care for their physical necessities and have left them
such benisnsn shelter have the fine arts In Europe
In all ages, lived and nourished and thrown . psren
nial glory over the lands and the names by whose
wealth they have been sustained
In this country NO such aids are TO be found. Pa
tronage kind can exist only where the
wealth Of few overshsdows the poverty OF the multi
tude: and Political institutions wisely seek rem
der imposibls this senditien Of is existence. The
forever.
The American Art. Union was established upon the
assumption that the love Of art IL universal and that
II will crave and seek It's proper food wherever and
whenever II may be stimulated irto proper activity
Of production. The Gr.t THU 70 b. don. there.
fore, Tor the promotion Of the tine arts In any
eountry Is to awaken In the public mind interest
IN the wtrts Of art and desire to possess them No
faculty sentiment s susceptible Of cultivation
thss the love OF art The habit Of seeing fine paint
ings epsrsvipgs or works Of art Of any kini stmu-
lates admiration OF them, and grows stronger ana
more Intelligent tbs longer IL Is INDUCED The Art
the bsnes and within the kno sisdre Of ali CLASSES
Of that vast and widely scattered people, upon
s shS,s slni.llisen. ,upne.t the hns arts In the
member ~ many copies Of engravings as fall within
the means committed to Its care II keeps open, in
gallery Of paintings embracing the beet works at ts
command and free TO ths aad study OF every
larger portion Of s funds TO the purchase from Ame
ricsn artists 81 original pictures Offering them nrst
IN Il, gallery to the free use Of tho whole public and
property they become In soeodance with the prescrp.
tions Of the constitution. 1t sends TO eveiy member
cal. filed with valuable and interesting matter upen
art containing record Of the prosrc,s and plans Of
the Institution, embellished With frequent original n
iustrstons and carefully prepared to interest guide
and instruct the public mind the various topics
orsesd within u, scope And ,eeks, month after
gent secretaries In every section Of the country TO
stimulate the public love Of art to prompt the public
create public sentiment which shall recognize art a.
es,entini element Of national culture, aud thus
place upon foundation as firm and o. lasting the
The success which has attended the effort. Of the
rspsae,ions During h. last ave years alone Il has
distributed among Its MEMBER acattertd through the
Whole length and breadth Of the land nearly two |
thousand origins painting. snd more than one hun
dred thousand engraving, bssidess great number Of
medals statuette and other works Of art Thee pro-
auctions % American senu, have gone into every
ner Of the United state, They have found their vay
into the psrors Of the rich and the homes the poor
into halls dedicated TO luxury and taste. and into
the humble cottage where daily labor has been relieved
and soothod By their minstrations. Thoy have been
and studied by hundreds % thousands, befides
49, 49,. nnVfw fhar 49,
In the rcmotss and ost retired localities Of the land
10 whom art In other way had the slightest access
have had new pleasures awakened within them, and |
u csss Of high enjoyments opened TO their view
brought within their reach through the agency Of
this institution.
Not lees marked nor lees benttcent has been the |
feet Of these exertions upon the artists and the
Of the United ststes. Whatever, indeed promotes
q love OF art among the people, who are its only |
patrons must Of course promote the interests Of It's
professors The American Art Union, BY twelve years
of continued and lsbcrous effort, hss secured . |