The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-06-13
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY.
The New building for the National
Academy or Design.

Academy OF DOeiRns
The National Academy Of Design, fast approaching
completion VIII, when finished, add another lasting
monument to American enterprise and art. The site
upon which this beautiful edce Is being erected was
purchased from Mr.. William Niblo a cost OF fty thou
sand dollars in the autumn 1860, and after
designs had been submitted to tho Academy for
their adoption by various architects, tho plan OF
Mr.. r. Wright finally adopted, and under
his supervision tho work has been go Ear executed
Tho building occupies the whole OF lot situated
the northwest OF Fourth and Twenty third
street, elghtyfeet wide tue street ana ninety eight
nine inches long the avenue. II will DO three
stories high besides the cellar The lower or basement
story conansrst the janitors apartments the floor OF
which raised one step above the sidewalk occupying
the whole end Twenty third street, second the rooms
OF the School Of Design the floor OF which Is four feet
lower than that OF the inor's rooms, thus giving
ceiling sixteen feet high which occupies threefourhs
OF the whole basement story. The accommodations for
tho school ample It Will occupy three studios or
aicoves Fourth avenue lighted by large windows, and
hall for casts and models the whole covering space OF
ortyssvcn by sixty eight feet The Life School will &C.
cupy hall the north side Of the building, twenty
seven by ayfour feet, and partially lighted trc court
yard. The entrance all tho in this story Is by
door In the southern end of the Fourth side.
Tho principal story is reached by double flight Of
steps tho Twentyhrd street end, and Is en-
tored by large doorway, from which hall,
eighteen feet wide, runs nearly the whole leneth
OF the building The whole Fourth side is occu.
pied by suit OF four rooms the most souherly Is tho
reception ROOM twenty-five by twenty six fec the next
two each the size Of the reception room, are for tho
library The most norherIy Is the council room, which is
twenty two by foryve feet, To the west OF the centr
hall ladies' and genilemen's dressing rooms and lee
turc room, which is Immediately above, and tho same
size as, the Lie School room, in the story below
The upper story is for the exhibition galleries. In the
centre is hall, thirty-four by forty feet divided by
double arcade, supported on columns OF polished mar.
bic. In this hall will be hung the works Of art which
belong to the National Academy Around this
arc tho galleries, all opening out Of II; one
thirty by seventysix feet; one twenty-five by
forty six; twenty by forty; one twenty
b. thirty-al lighted by skylghts also gallery for
sculpture twenty feet square, lighted both from the
roof and The side
Visitors to galleries will at the main entrance
In the rst story. On the left of person entering
i'll BIO the ticket Offices the right the umbrella and
hat depository Passing through the vesbule the visitor
the great hall In front the stairs leading to
the galleries above. -Four steps, the whole width Of the
hail. lead to platform where he gives up his ticket and
buys catal quo. From this double flight leads to
another plat orm from which single flight reaches the
level Of the gallery floor.
These stairs together with all the doors door and win
dow trimmings mantes, &C.. are to be Of oak and wal
nut combined, oiled and polished The halls and vesti-
bules story will be oored with mosaic tiles to
correspond with the exterior OF the building.
On the exterior tho walls OF the story are Of
sa % the
white marble with similar bands ard or the third story OF
white and gray marble in small oblong books forming
mounted Wy rich arcnded cornce O. white marble, now
being constructed and will add materially to the artistic
The School II Design IN the basement will be lighted
by wido double windows with segmentai arches, each
a thn V.ttA Ia n ola rod
column with rich carved capital ADD base aud rest
ing on side a carved corbei All the other win
cows In the building have pointed arches and those 81
the first story have their archiyolts decorated by
soirs OF al crnatev wh.e and gray marble.
street bu, circular openings for VENT alton, filled
elaborate plate tracery are substituted Inc principal
ss
gray springs from columns two on each side OF red
Tn der this the tympanum above the nled w,h
elaborate pattern, IN mosaic Of small varegaed ties
mpor,an. feature 10 the Sudng being entirely Of mar
be- having under the platform triple arcade enclosing
drinking fountain and being richly decorated with
as vii 10 inferred from the above description. the
STYLE architecture is revived from the Goth!cnow the
dominau, style in England-whch combines those fer
lures OF the different schools Of architecture Of the M;de
SSdinss. The style has resulted from the Efforts Of
many architects working together to produce
bu dngs which cha. ala combine 81 hes
prise shown that truly decorative architecture, or
the Of making buildings beautiful BY the addition TO
them OF color and sculpture Is not among the lost arts
but is sl be cultivated BY those who desire TO
round themselves with beautful things. II name for
the style be demanded Il only be said that the name
OF no past style OF architecture il altogether appropriate
to H. toe revived Gothic goes on towards more per-
feet SUCCESS, Il will find q rame for Itself.
All the carving 10 carefully studied from naturalorms
The flowers and leaves OF woods and fields have fur
nished the models all the sculpture which has been
designed under the drec Of tho architect, BY the
sioe carvers who have done the work. For this pur
pose special appropriation was made the carving was
not included 10 the contract but was paid for By the
day, as IL was done.
lhe National Academy OF Design have seized upon the
afforded them by tho erection Of thor costly
building TO show by actual example, the proper and only
possible way of making building rich IN scnlptured or.
The stone have cut these capitals and
archivols with the feeling and purpose OF scuItors exc
cutting independent and original works OF art Tho result
thus attained shown that the only difference be-
q good leaf capitals and the producer OF
heroic human sculpture in the amount Of bis KNOWLEDGE
ard power.
The OF the structure when completed, will DO In
the neghbcrhood OF $40 600