The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-04-28

THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN
Opening Of tho New Building 81
Fourth Avenue,

The inauguration ceremonies Of the National Academy
Of Design took place last evening" which occasion Ne
pictures on exhibition submitted to private vtsw
The basis Of the fund from which this structure va
erected raised by subscription among the artises N
addition to the fund Of the old Academy Of Design
to which were Afterwards added many liberal subscsp
lions from several citizens. The cost Of tho BUILDING
will be about one hundred and seventy-nve thousaaA
dollars when all that Is contemplated for its conplstssa
Is accomplished.
While the building was In progress and partially eoe
cealed by scaoldng and enclosure it had strange od
appearance that created some SURPRISE and httIs
establishment that structure designed for the purposes
of art should present little Of what seemed to -
artistic TASTE People supposed that because II va
designed by artists II must be something exceedingly
beautiful that is according to the popular idea OF beauty
in architecture-an idea, Of course, mainly formed ~
comparison with other handsome structures But ~
artists formed different notion They designed to sssee
building bsawe and strange looking, which would %
remarkable moro for its novelty in our city archiso
ture than for Its beauty Of style and enect ana
1t must DO admitted by all who SOC 1t now
in its finished state that they have succeeded The a.
ject appears been to construct an edihoe mas
could not be mistaken for bank, or church. or biook
Of lawyers Offices was expected that every one VINO
saw it would ask what was, and UPON being informed
that was tho National Academy of Design, they would
never forget the structure Its location That the IL
pecaions Of the designers have been carried out in thu
respect there be doubt although as . work q
pure art is not to be admired, neither does 1t strike %
as being style appropriate to its purposes
The site upon which this ediAce is erected was pug.
chased from Mr. William Nblo at cost Of nifty thousaA4
dollars tho autumn Of $780, and after numerous d.
signs had been submitted to the Academy for their ado
tion by various architects the plan Of Mr. p. B. virgins
was finally adopted, and under his supervisaoas
the work has been executed. Tho building ocsu-
pies the whole Of a lot situated at the north
west corner Of Fourth avenue and Twenty-thard
street, eighty feet wide the street and nney-egha
feet nine inches long on the is three stories
high besides the cellar The lower basement story
oontains-nrst, the jantor's apartments the floor q
which is raised one step above the sidewalk occupying
the Whole end Twenty street; second the roona
of the School of Design tho floor Of which Is four fese
lower than that Of the janitors rooms thus giving
ceiling sixteen feet high, and which occupies Tires
tons for the school are ample occupies three acovsa
Fourth avenue, lighted by large windows the wno!o
covering space Of forty By sixty eight feet IT,
and buss Ii very large Among them we recognized the
LAGOON Apollo Beiyidere, Venus do Medici senas Nd
Bacchus the Boxers Of Canova the Wrestlem, Piping
Fawn Houdins Anatomical Figure and many Others -
familiar as Trey valuable TO students The acovss
capitals richly ornalDsd With leaves In gold The LAfs
school occupies h az the north side OF the building,
court yard This = MA yss completed. The entrance
TO all the rooms IN this story BY door IN the southern
The principal story 10 reached by double flight o1
steps the Twenty third street end and is entered BY
large doorway from which hall eighteen feet feet w,ds
Fourth avenue occupied by suit Of four rooms;
the most southcrly the reception room, twenty-five
ception ROOM for the library The most northery
Is the council ROOM which Is twenty two by fortyhve
feet To the OF the central hall ladies' and gen-
temen dressing and a lecture room, which is
Immediately above the size as the Life SCHOOL
The upper story is for the exhibition galleries. In ne
centre is hail. thirty -four by forty feet divided BY
double arcade supported on columns Of polished manila
In this hall hung the works Of art which belong -
the National Academy Around this are the galleries. al
opening out of II; one thirty by seventysI feet one
twenty.one BY thrty-al lighted by skyiights; also s
gallery for sculpture, twentyone feet square, ighse9
both from the roof and the side.
The style Of architecture may be denominated, pro.
perly the Venetian Gothic It is essentially yet .oe
purely Gothic and assimates closely to that style % n
glance the building appears low, and would suggest IL n
capacity to furnish lofty galleries. suitable for the exhin
ton of pictures but when remember that very Inn
porant point gained by the easy and convenient acoe
for VISITORS obtained by locating the galleries at small
good Judgment exercised in this portion Of the design
II the building intended for the accommodation -
higher devoted the purpose Of studios and thus have
given more imposing effect externally. But no suon
benet Of the public not Ors artists the latter having
claim upon the institution except for the exhbitioo
Of their works which is Of ~ much advantage 70 No
The exterior Of the building Ia beautiful and pic.
turesque The walls Of the basement story are Of Mss
.sywscIeS The walls Of the first story are Of white
marble, with similar bands and Of the third story q
o sns
rich arcaded cornice Of white marble, which adds ms
| tenally TO the appearance Of the edAce.
L he main entr viii In on
approached BY double fight Of steps Of white marble
with heavy balustrads Of tho same material Undse
the platform triple arcade the plastes and arcn %
which are deliberately carved with ferns lilies and othe1
flowers Of the field and garden This Is an exquisite psoe
fountain Of white marble. The entrance is BY high
broad, Gothic arch broad archivolt, enriched y
gray springs from columns two each side, Of NJ
Vermont MARBLE with white marble capitals ana pasoS
an elaborate pattern in mosaic Of small varcgated tlsA
Above the doorway 10 another tympanum OF mosaic
with the Letters y IN aa WI sIr
10 the Inauguration ceremonies Of last night an4
take a hasy glance at the pictures
was such gathering Of the richest and rarcs In beauty
and fashion that IL impossible 70 obtain fair view
Of the pictures and therefore defer all crci
for another occasion Suce II 70 say that all our Lead
ing artists and every style Of pictorial art were repre-
uo soon n,n s s nrsvcr bv Rev
Dr. Adams amer which Mr. D. Huntington President %
the Academy, delivered address describing the Origin
L OF the Acauemy, ltS carly Hrukkioo
after forty years labor For twenty years the Academy
had homo until now and he cong,asua.eu me sIss
and those who had aided them a. The result tney WIZ
messed on that occasion He appealed 70 the Fellows @
the insttuton-the artists and the Mudcns-to fuini
their towards the furherance OF art In The
new era Of peace and prosperity which A. w:s Spe7
A. had caused the postponemont Of the
deeply affected the w, audience ans
concluded inroduoin sms MI cb.,.s s snd .sn.
,fs temarH in which he said .hs. since is2s
su'c0u no TIME sb :Se bsa Osrms
n mao, 1 homs ~ rss he ncreduous that the
nnsment Of the people was not equal TO the grand resu
a. nSs Nth lie variety Of dslneatons Of art In every
form was : rsbuke 70 his incredulity
Ic The whole the scene was one OF remarkable bril-.
rnrv and rave promise Of bright In art In The
ssSonoIis OF the country There could not have beer