Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-25

ISaln venus. the grandeur of the TheSeuS ard
the 1.-THE, supple forms OF the DiscoboIi and
ApoNyomeneS, the excited action of the Gladi
aIor, The dignifed repose OF SophocleS and the
sylvan; unLutoIed grace OF the Faun of the
Sapltol, with other shapes OF which we hereto
fore dreamed, and dreamed only
THE BRONZE HALL.
Hail. where the genius' 81 Tshtn thS S PTT3nEee TsaEe
meoleval workers in metal is dipayed in the
collection Of electrotype reproductionS em-
braclng armor, vessels Of state and Of domeS-
tic use, wrought in style of wonderful classic
design, imparting TO our people for the FIRST
time distinct idea OF the thorough knowledge
OF drawing, engraving and modelling, the arti-
hcers OF that day possessed.
NATIONALITY OF THE PICTURES
II has been often iutmated that the inten-
tionS of the founder as declared In his words
TO encourage American genius. and 10 pro
been followed in the purchases by the truS-
tees; that foreign art has been unduly en-
cSuraged and promoted. The catalogue will
snow this opinion 10 he wholly erroneous OF
the E2 paintings in the main gallery q are nv
American artists of the "a pictures purchased
Tor the gallery by the trustees rs are American.
and OF ~ pictures in that gallery ION the Bne''
the position OF honor, one half are American
Surely upon that point the mana cement stands
acquitted. Ii must be also borne i'm mind that
many of the foreign pictures are of a class
and execution that even If any American artist
could equal them, he would hold them at more
than double the price paid for them. The
Charlotte Corday, NeStal Tuccia, FGte of ST
John, and Lost Dogs are illustrations OF this.
But aside from such considerations of ability
and cost, IL is, think, putting forced con.
Struction upon the intentions and words of the
founder, and taking 4 narrow view of the
comprehensive wants of such great
gallery OF art, particularly at its ontset, 20
make the purchase of works by American art
lists its chief object. Art is of no country and
while great portion of encouragemen should
be given to our own artists, merit should be the
standard OF selection, and all nationalities
showing that, should enjoy an equal chance
Why do our students of painting sculpture
and music 90 TO Europe? To profit by that
regular, rigid training, TO be perfected In that
acknowledged superior technical execution TO
be found there. For the same reason, il is de-
Sirable TO place in the Corcoran Gallery such
superior examples of European art as NAV not
only give variety to the collection but To serve s
models for the benefit OF our artists and anna
teurS denied the advantages of foreign study
80 that il as encouraging American genius"
and III Is promoting the cause of American
art when such maryelS of foreign art as those
alIeady mentioned, and the Marching Regi-
ment and Bayarian Prisoners, Icy DetailIe are
placed before our young artists as examples OF
artistic learning, mastery drawing, strong char.
acter, and finished work generally: Just as we
would place the compositions OF Beethoven
and Mozart before music students. and not
confne them chiefly 10 the works of American
composers.
The gallery building was erected mainly for
exhibition purposes. Ii was designed by the
architect purely for that-cOnsiSting of grand
galleries, with none of the subordinate re-
quirements for educational purposes. At that
time the changes wrought by the London EX.
hibition of 1853 SO well described by an elo-
| quent lecturer on industrial art, i'm turning
the attention of England TO the necessity Of
| utilizing art for industrial purposes il She
| wished TO maintain competition with the
| artisans OF Europe, had not reached these
| shores. Now IL has. Not only education i'm fine
! art is looked for in every art institution now
| but the industrial interests demand a share of
| the facilities afforded TO the portrait and land
scape painter and sculptor. The trustees very
| soon provided facilities for artists and anna.
| teurS to copy the paintings three days in the
| week, and subsequently the same privilege
| was extended TO the gallery of casts, of course
under such restrictions as We're necessary TO
| preserve the safety of the works and decorum
| OF an exhibition gallery. OF the beneficial
effect OF this privilege, without, money and
| without price" the public has had ample evil
| dence in the creditable copies of pictures and
| drawings from casts.
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT.
| must now notice feature OF the Corcoran
| Gallery almost peculiar TO itself-the issue of
| photographs OF its most interesting paintings
statues, bronzes, &c. This important work
| was started soon after the opening of the in
Stltution. and has by its increasing issues add
| ed to its popularity and fame, and dissent
mated larger taste for art. With the liberalty
| marking all the operations of the Gallery,
| copies OF these photographs are sent gratui-
| tOusly TO every art association, great or small
| throughout the country, and are sold only at
| The gallery AT such price as will cover their
| cost and this gratutOuS distribution. The
popular demand for them is extraordinary
They are called for from every remote and
|
| only think what an impulse is given TO art
| culture, when its far-away students, who never
/ even saw plaster cast OF ali antique head, can
| study these superb views Of the Venus of Milo
the Apollo, the LAGOON. or the sad loneliness
| OF Charlotte COrday, OF the photograph of
which great picture nine hundred copies have
| been issued within the past two and hall
| years! The number of objects in the Gallery
| photographed is about one hundred, and Is
| steadily increasing.
| NUMBER OF VISITORS
| The rapid growth of the COrcoran Gallery js
shown In Its yearly number of visitors.
IN IS14..,,. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 66,073
In 1876 (Centenna 1Ss TaSlt Sz4
Compare these numbers of a civ Of lsoast
inhabitants with the attendance at the art
| galleries or Boston and New York with their
| populouS towns tributary TO them
Visitors at the Museum of Art i'm Boston in
Io.l, l5s,S46 This number according to its re
| port, embraced those who attended on Snndays
| during three e-fourths of the year and which
| averaged l,429 visitors per Sunday Deduct
the aggregate of these, and the attendance on
We Meek DAYS was little over 100000 to 7,764 OF
Visitors to the Metropolitan Museum OF Art
New YORK, with its rich Catatum and CesDola
coiiectlons, ana Its famous Loan Exhibition
| year, 117,764 - '"'"o
These figures prove that this community
| takes more interest in the COrcoran GaIleIy
in proportion to its inhabitants, than is fell
ed institutions of art.
According to the deed and charter. the i'm.
Sltutlon was to be free to the public on two
days OF the week only, but at the opening, at
MI. C0rcoran's suggestion, the privilege was
extended TO three days, Tuesdays, Thursdays,
and Saturdays.
THE VALUE OF THE GIFT
The following statement will show the yalue
oil the gilt OF the COrcoran Gallery of Art.
Cost OF the building and ground 80. s250Og0
MIR. Corcoran s private picture gallery 100000
PICTURES purchased since the opening lOa330
Marble Statuary ry...............,,. 22'3gI
Casts in plaster .............,.,... 36I6
BrOnZeS. nZeS...................,.., 5O7I
Reproduction i'm electrOtype metal. . l05O0
Malonca, ceramic ware, &c............ 35l0
SJO442l
The endowment is about million of dollars,
yielding an income of over $4,000.
The present building not having capacity TO
contain the engrayings, the general objects Of
museum, and an extensive library, the for
nation OF those important collections is nee
esSarily delayed until the gallery is extended
In view OF these sums and their purpose let
us pause and think of their unparalleled Law
ishness. Providence occasionally raises indl-
yiduals for various special missions of useful
ness and benevolence to their fellow men, who
give their influence, their genius and their
means Tor those purposes as freely as Heaven
has blessed them with power taste and for
tune, It was for PericlpS tn lift Athane ~