National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-11-06
FINE ARTS.
THE CORCORAS GALLERY DESCRIBED


M"n'"eent pens''on-Dsscrip''on Of the
h""d'nS-Thc Pic'"res and s'"t"nry-
splendid Ce'iec'ien-Probablc Time
OF Opening.
The elegant building on the northeast cor
nor Of Pennsylvania avenue and Seventeenth
street, known ns Tho uCorcoron Gallery of
Art" will bc ,hro,,r onar =" ~ ,',,,.,,a
,.,,h,,, ~, - 'Pon W '"c P"",'V
within lew weeks, certainly by TIC
time oil the next asscmblagc Of Congress.
No date has yet been fixed for tho opening,
which will take place with oppropriatc cerS.
,ro,,,.. a., -, -. a.. ..,.,'.',s -, -.
been hung and inc s,atuary nroncrIv ar.
ranged,
NOBLE REQUEST.
This superb structure, and Its valuable con-
tents, constitute, rs IA well known. The mimi
nc.pt benncs, made In oxoc,,,io,, ., n ,a,,,,.
',", "", ~ a., a''o' VI ''b
cherished desire, ny W. W. 'oreoran, cs'"'
to the city OF Washington, to he used solely
for the purpose OF encouraging American &C.
nina In The nrodpction and nrssor,o,Io, of
-. - - ~ ~ a aa 49, ,Is
wins pe'"'n'"s W '"e nue ur's "nu hinu'eu
objects; and by deed bearing date the 10th Of
May, 1859, he conveyed the property, and
the rputa thereof willis npauptaI he thu l.nN-
n,,,a,, 90 Nto.,r. NJ Cax,,s,', 4, nj,
a.. W NJ, 49,. ~, We a ,, - 80, i'" ~
geo W. higgs' An'nony nyde' james W.
Berret, James c. Kennedy, Henry d. Cooke,
James &. Mc(iuire, and W. T. Walters, In
,r,s, for lilo u.o, and n,rnoscs ,hercin fnIlv
a., tor,h
NC. ,o'''.
These gentlemen. In ful1llmont Of their I'M
portant trust, have carefully complied Win
tne esPtesseu Wshes oI tne aisunguihnea
uonor' and now tue oaiiery OF ART, ehricheu
Wuheone OF tne rarest and most peautiiui
cohtrinnuons OF genius, taxes us place among
the many noble and enduring monuments OF
.ne an'uen' generos''y Vi William W. 'or-
eo'""'
THE BUILDING
WINS commenced in the ycar 1850 and was
neariv cnmnleted nj Tho onibreok of The re-
bciljon soon after wbich-that ia 10 say. on
he sd Of August, issi-it was taken pos
sessIon of Inv the Govcrnmont for the use of
The Ousrtcrmaster Generals office. which
Continued 10 occupy II until the 18th of sep
TENDER, 1861, when II was turned over TO the
trustees, Since the latter date the building
has been thoroughly repaired and renovated.
partly at the expense of the Government,
and il now In nj condition to receive the
beautiful works Of art with which II 10 I'M
dergoinp embelllshmept.
This handsome structure IA In the renals-
.ance style OF architecture. Il has a frontage
of IOt feet on PcnnsylyanIa avenue, and e2-
tends i24 feet inches on Seventeenth street.
The interior Is arranged with q cellar or
ground floor. Containing the heating appa-
ratus, rooms for storage, packing, &C., and
two principal floors, the lower TO receive
works of sculpture, and the upper paintings
and engrayinrs.
The front or grand entrance Is on Penn
sviyania avenue md opcns into yrstibule
al feet by % feet. from which lead The
broad stairs TO the second story. These
stairs are OF frecstonc, 10 feet wide, with an
iron balustredc on either side, and carved in
scroll-work nj the ends. On each side Of
these stairs arc passage, eight feet fonr
inches wide, and leading 10 the principal gal
icrv arranged Tor scnls,nrc, which Il in 1ne
rear of the building. The stairs and halls
are LIGHTED mn by two courts.
The yestibule 10 tbe scuipture raIlery Is 10
feet wide by IS feet long, with two spacious
gallery extonds Tho whole distance across the
rear Of INC building. and Is nj feet inches
LONG NV 81 feet Wide. md Ia amply lighted by
len Windows
vi The ienItor's onartments are ON the right
of The main or front yestibuie. and iu,t be.
hind them, and connecting with tie main
scnipture gallery. arc two rooms. ono 10 feet
Iv III fec, n Inches. ,be other IN foot sauare'
These rooms can bc used for n school of do.
si0,n
On the left nj the vestIbnlo /, "A ralIcry o.
feet wide, on pennsviyania avenue and cyl
tending back on Seventeenth street. Sa feet
10 ipc6e, long. These Galleries arc con-
ncctcd nv snaclous arched door
The picture galleries aro on the second
floor. Tho main stairs omen into a hall IS
| feet wide nv 40 feet {, inches long. on either
side Of which tho varions ga,lerics Tor Mic.
tnrrs arc sitnated. There are, however
three small galleries fronting on Pcnnsyiva-
mia avenue. The centre one being an octaron
% feet on Tho aoor' and Intended for very
valuable or famous pictnrcs' The other two
arc 25 feet by s2 feet Q inches. In the rear
Of these. and extending along tho sides of
The building. arc two galleries, 10 feet {,
inches by a feet @ inches. The main or
grand picture gallery. which extend, across
| the rear of Tie building. on This floor. is A.
/ feet wide by M feet 4 inches long. All tbsse
galleries are lighted by sky or TOP lights, and
are 40 arranged thai the quantity can be
| regulated as desired, These gallcrics are
connected with each other by lofty aTchcl
doors, thus afIording continuous passage
around the floor,
The cornices and ceilings Of the various
| galleries are enriched with pancl armament.
and moldlngs represcnting American
foliage,
mi, aoors are Laid on brick arches on
which are iron pirdcrs. Eycrytbing has bccn
done in Inc most thorough md snbstantiai
manner Tho exterior of the buildinO Ia com
strncied Of Tho best Bnltimore-madc brick
with facings trimm,ngs and ornaments NJ
BeilcvIlle Rcr,tonc' 1'bc front on pcnnsvl.
yani. avenue Ia divided in,n a central nn,ii.
ion win n cnrtain IN either sIde and ias
architects would saw is fanLed by Two o.6ep
no yiiions ono on oi,h,r cnrn.r g,d JiyiJn5
ma two stories The central paxiIinn he.
yermiculated ouoins in the corner and these
inclose The Grand cntrance-door win an
eyonisltcly.casved iamb and arch orcrionned
win acrce tigers' heads carved in ,,S};sro
The antIcom n The f,rst story ia remarkabiy
simpIe in Jesi%n and detail and nj ihc same
Tins corrssno5Js with the mas sIyeness If The
ouolns Al liz corners Of The buildlng WV
The SECOND storv NJ Tho central mn y,,,o,
consists OF an arebed RECESS. Tic snon
between the import and the suilit oil the arch
niica Win a ~ Is, Anu eonaa.as ine
na,.o5 ,araa y, 'a a,, ansa,a,,,s WIN
.as,S ~. ,ha Inu on ,,aS,,, ousa ~,
au,aa , ,ms ,neIe - pha.un, wInaUm win
paasso, auu sy,uis anu yapi's, "a
nn AM, oa iomaseealu,snely earyeu.
ar, ane sn vI ae wv mea',ns' ehseiIeing
~. ou' hhP'e'ne"'' vi P"'n''nB anu seu'p-
'u IT,, , .,,,. 4.
IA. n e. ecnsra, paSinon Is nahhed on cilher
NV. " w ~ nuseu .oiu', WIN eapi,s rep
Ttrtutlilg tnf UfOhu leaves anu OIL tho