, 1873-01-03
ART MATTERS.
What San Francisco Has Done--An
Example for Older Cities.

The San Francisco Art Association --- 4
] Graceful Compliment from the
French Government.
Sptcial Correspondence Of The Chicago Tribune.
| SAN FnASc1sco, Dec. 20, 1872.
| The nsthctic culture OF the city ia illustrated
in q striking manner BY the success Of tho local
Art Association, IN institution possessed OF
characteristics that are Of interest to every trne
| friend OF painting, and certainly blessing to
| this isolated community. Eighteen months ago,
twenty OF thirty artists and amateurs mot at the
residence Of A1r. Wendesfordo for the purpose OF
| forming on Art Association upon tho theory OF d
| social club. After Bomo discussion, thoy oban-
doncd the original idea Of organization, and
adopted constitution which embodied tho plan
! for m
ACADEMY OF ART AND SCHOOL OF DESIGN, !
to be established under the au 'picos Of tho Asso
citation. 1t was proposed at the timo to assimi-
late tho organization to tho plan Of the New
York aud Chicago Academies Of Art,
lodging tho control in an Executive
Committee composed Of artists exclusively,
and having several grades OF membership; hut,
the artistic fraternity Of San Francisco being
| comparatively weak in numerical strength, and
the means necessary to tho Success Of the insti-
tuition having to come SO largely from outsidcra,
| tho project Of patterning after tho Academies
mentioned Was not carried out; and, instead
| thereof, any person recommended by the Board
Of Directors was considered eligible to full MEM
bc-ship, and officers we're chosen from the non,-
| bers at large. although caro- was takon, as mat
ter OF fairness to have artists represented in tho
.AHn -
rcctors consisted Of eleven persons, including
the regular officers. Tho first P1esidont was
J. B. Wandesforde, formerly well-known artist
Of New York and Frod. Whymper, nuthor
Of an excellent work on Alaska, and brother
OF tho famous Alpine climber. and at present a
practical journalist here, has been Secretary
since the organization Was effected. Tho second
and present President is William Alvord, Mayor
OF the city, who takes o warm md generous in
torest in the Association and its objects, and has
been the means Of obtaining large number
OF Hfo-members at 2100 each. The Association
is supported by an entrance fee OF 81 and month
ly duea Of ST. Tho money derived from tho sale
of flife-memborships now amounting to 81 900, is
pnidinto special fund, to bo devoted to the cs-
tablishment OF an Academy OF Art and School Of
Design. 4 portion OF thia fund has already
been expended in fitting up rooms for q gallery
and school. Tho present membership of 800 in
cludes ma iority Of tie most cultivated and in
number Of tie wealthier class. The Association
gives
QUARTERLY nEcEr r1oxs
to its members and invited guests, on which oo-
casons the resident artists exhibit their bost
works, and contributions are received from tho
finest private collections in the city. These 70
ceptions have been an entirely new feature in
tho social and intellectual amusements Of San
Francisco. and have heeu. highly attrnctive.
They are held in rooms rented by tho Associa-
ton, and latter1y the gallery has bcon open 10
tho general public. .at n snaIl fen. for soyaral
weebs snccae1inr the rerular recent;ons.
Tie present exhibition now tc,r .d,yn in pro-
press. compriees over
THREE HusDaED woEks OF ARr,
including collection formed br the lato +. LA.
piocha (yho committed suicide whilo laboriuc
under mental nbaration), and HilIed by him to
tho State University, which nu,abot, about "a
works, The value Of this collection. hoyo7er.
has hean greatly overatcd Tho o1d maatarH