New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-21

81. .
IN this country no such aids are 70 De ou .
- toage of this kind can exist only "heFe Tue
1,5rmoas wealth of few o'ershad9Ns tae pos,
g IF the multitude and cur political 1nstitutons
vy,sely seek to render Impossible TINS conni'ou .,
ift existence The whole structure Oh or So''0'!
-. ,als and precludes Il forever.
The American Art Union was established upon
~, ,oeunDtion that the love OF Art IS universal,
I'D that it will crave and seek lts proper 300,
rhoycver and whenever 1t may be stlnul2Vec INTO
n,1oer activity. The love OF Art WIN Always
srr1nt IN the purchase of itS productions The
~ thing TO be done therefore, for So the promo
sion of the Fine Arts in any country, ID TO
goken IN the public mind an interest N the
Tr.,rks of Art, and desire to possess them no
fsculty or sentiment is more snsceptloie OF cultl-
vstion than the love OF Art The haolt OF seeing
Sro naintings, engraviDgs, or works OF Ar5 oil any
lind stinulates an admiration OF them and grows
stronger and more intelligent the longer 1t IS IN
.nIped The Art Mon has. therefore, sought 10
place works Of art In the hands, and "ithI! Tue
knowledge Of all classes OF that vast ana "iueiy
gcattered people upon whose lhte.h87nt supp
fbe Fine Arts in the United states must Always
5eDend 1t gives TO every member as many
s,oDies of engrayings as fall within the means
2 umitted To it's care Its keeps open IN thls
rta city and metropolis Of the whole country
Tallery Of Paintings, embracing the best "orRs
it's command and free the Inspection ana
idy of every member of the whole community
devotes the larger portion OF its funds to the
yIrchase from American Artists OF original PIC
b es Offering them first, in its Gallery to the tree
use Of the whole pnblc, and then assigning them
so the individual members whose property they
bacome, in accordance with the prescriptions OF
tho Constitution 1t sends to every member,
from the date of his subscription monthly perl
odical, filed with valuable and interesting matter
upon art, containing record OF the progress and
pans of the Institution embellshed with frequent
o. ginal illustrations, and carefully prepared to
interest, guide and instruct the pubic mind on
the various topics embraced within its scope.
And it seeks, month after month, and year after
year. through corps of intelligent secretaries, in
every section of the country, to stimulate the
public love of Art, TO prompt the public mind to
an active service in the of Art, and to create
public sentiment which shall recognise Art as
an essential element of National culture and
thus place it upon a foundation as firm and as
lasting as the nations life
The success which has attended the efforts OF
the Art Union thus far, may be seen in the record
of it's transactions. During the last five years
alone, 1t has distributed among its members,
scattered through the whole length and breadth
ot the land. nearly 1000 original palntlngs-more
than 100000 engravings-over 800 600 copies OF the
Monthly Bulletin, beside a great number OF
medals, statuettes, and other works OF art
These productions Of American genius have gone
into every corner of the United States. They
have found their way into the parlors OF the rich
and the homes of the poor-into halls dedicated
to luxury and taste, and into the humble cottage
where daily labor has been relieved and soothed
nv their ministrations. They have been seen and
atuded by hundreds of thousands, beside those
whose property they have become Mutltudes,
IN the remotest and most retired localities OF the
land to whom Art in no other way had the slight.
est access, have had new pleasures awakened
within them and new class of high eniOyments
opened to their view and brought within their
reach, through the agency of this institution
Not less Marked nor less benefcent has been
the effect of these exertons upon the Artists and
the Art of the United States Whatever, indeed,
promotes a love of art among the people, who are
its only patrons, must of course promote the ill.,
serests of its professors The American Art
Union, by twelve years OF continued and laborlous
effort, has secured q regular annual contribution
Of over $50 600 from the great mass OF the Amer
lean people, for the support OF Artand encourage
ment of Artists. Patronage OF American Art to
this extent, has been created by the abors OF the
American Art Union the service rendered Is
equivalent to the establishment OF a Fund OF
more than Million OF Dollars, the yearly income
of which, with the necessary deductions foe tho
expenses of its collection and management, should
be divided among American artists III all depart
ments, in proportion to the number and excel
lenCe oil their productions. This whole amount IS
contributed in sums Of live dollars each, showing
the immense number of persons who have be.
come interested in the Fine Arts, directly aud
solely through the efforts OF tins institution AT
the same time men OF wealth have been stlmu-
further patronage OF Art. Private orders to art
lists of character and reputation have been great
" multiplied, IN number and IN value While young
artists, whose early efforts have promised ulti
mate success, have been aided and encouraged.
Very many of those whose names now reflect
honor upon the country, and whose works
take creditable rank among the masterpieces OF
genius were aided, encouraged and advanced, IN
Dostion and in fortune at the outset OF their career
by the American Art [ MON; while several OF the
IT lo,,l I1oyrD
most promising young artists OF our laha nave ave-
been constantly supported in the schools OF Eu
rome and enabled 70 prosecute their studies there
by the aid they have received from It's tunds IN
exchange for their productions. The only class
of artists who have been at all depressed or IN
iured by its operations, consists OF those VINO are
distinguished only by conspicuous ana hopeiesS
mediocrity These persons may have been re-
duced to their proper position, IN the general JudS
ment by the active competition which the Amer
lean Art Union has done something TO create.
Whether the friends OF art, or the pubhc at large
have reason to share their grefs, or their hoStty
TO the American Art mon, II Is not necessary Ior
the Committee to say.
The Committee refer as another evidence of
the success of the endeavors OF the American
Art, Union to create public interest IN the cause
of Art to the fact that since its establishment
similar institutions have sprung up IN various
parts of the country There are now tive other
Art, Unions in different sections OF the Urited
States, all engaged in the same cause and all at
tended with a good degree of success. The Com
mittee regard them as co.workers with this lnst,
tuition aud they look upon their existence and
prosperity as not least among the beneficent re-
suits of its exertions.
1t must be supposed that the success OF the
American Art Union has been achieved by the
spontaneous cooperation OF those who have be-
come its members. The work has been accom-
plished only by the most important and aborious
exertons on the part of the Committee and Of
6cers of the Association acting through the agen
cies which they have established in all sections Of
the country The selection of honorary Secreta.
res. the constant supervision Of their operations,