Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-20
THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ART.

OF the city became members OF it, and it
numbered great many really meritorious
and painstaking art students. At short
intervals this club held reunions, at which
the work done since the last meeting was
exhibited and discussed and criticised, and
at which general social intercourse was
embellished by the musical and literary
accomplishments of its members. These
meetings have hitherto been held at the
houses Of citizens, and they have been in.
strumental in promoting sociability and in
stimulating art enthusiasm. At length,
however, it has been felt that the club
ought to have some definite headquarters,
and so it has been proposed to give two
entertainments at the theater for the pur-
pose OF assisting in this arrangement. The
Bric-a. Brac Club mas done much good in a
quiet way hitherto, but its most important
work has consisted in the demonstration
made by it of what can be accomplished
through organization and perseverance in
this direction. Ii, however, it were to
content itself with the position it has al
ready reached, it certainly would not have
lived up to its opportunities, and to the
end that it may not fall short of the posi-
bilities within it reach, we propose to offer
few suggestions for its benefit.
There is in England an association known
as 1.-THE Art Union of London" 1t was
established forty-five years ago, as its an
nual report states, to promote the knowl-
ledge and love of the Fine Arts, and
"their general advancement in the British
Empire, by wide diffusion of works of
native artists and to elevate Art and to
encourage its Professors, by creating an
I" increased demand for their works, and
"an improved taste on the part of the
public. This is a very noble and CON-
mendable programme, and it is one which
the Brio. a-Brac Club might very well
adopt as their own. The London Art
Union proceeds on the following plan.
Whoever subscribes one guinea (say five
dollars) becomes member for one year.
Every subscriber is entitled ~ to an i'm
preston Of one or more engravings pre-
pared exclusively for the Society and ~
to chance in drawing by which large
number of prizes, consisting of works of
art, are distributed among the members
annually. The prizes include the right to
select some work of art from the value of
fifty dollars to one thousand dollars or
more, from one of the public exhibitions of
the current year ; the said exhibitions con-
sisting of paintings, engravings, statuary,
and various kinds of work in marble, por-
celain, bronze, iron, etc., all produced ex-
pressly for distribution as prizes. The
subscriptions are devoted to the purchase
of these works OF art, after reserving two
and half per cenc. to form fund for the
purpose of procuring gallery and other
wise advancing the objects of the Associa-
ton.
To give clearer idea of the arrange.
ments of the Art Union, we will sum-
Marie the programme for last year. The
subscriptions for 1880 amounted to about
$50, 900. OF this amount SIG, 600 was to
be expended in prizes, not counting the
presentation work, which was very costly
one In 1881 it consisted of engravings of
Mr.. Frith's celebrated Hogarthian series
entitled "The Road to Ruin. There
were five of these engravings in the series,
and thus every subscriber to the Art Union
obtained, for five dollars, series of splen-
did engravings, besides the chance of win
ming one of SAT works of art. ranging in
value from f200 painting to silver medal,
but each and all real works of art, selected
bya council of renowned artists and connois-
seurs. The popularity of this enterprise
is attested by its wonderful vogue. The
London Art Union has subscribers in the
very ends of the earth. In 1881 it received
no fewer than go subscriptions from South
Australia alone, while Sydney member
carried off the $3.50 prize in the same year.
And it has been of incalculable benefit to
art in England and indeed all over the
world. 1t has in fact fairly created taste
for art where it had no existence before,
and, as the last report states, I" it may be
asserted, without room for contradiction,
that amongst the masses of English art
lists now most esteemed byrightly Judging
people, avery large numberar are indebted, in
ga greater or less degree, to the Art Union
"of London, for welcome aid, when first
struggling on the lower rounds of the
"temple of fame-and not by few this
"fact is often frankly acknowledged.
Now what the Art Union of London has
done for English Art, it is we think pos
sible for the Brio -Brac Club to do for
California Art, by moving on the same
lines. A State Art-Union might with
entire consistency be organized at the capt.
talof the State, and by inviting subscri ptions
for the purchase of native art works, to be
distributed annually among the subscribers,
interest in the undertaking would be sus.
tanned, native art would be encouraged,
and the public taste at the same time be
cultivated 1t would doubtless be neces-
sary to modify the Art-Union programme
SO far as to omit the annual presentation
engraving, but every other detail could
be followed without change. All works of
art could properly be included in the prize
list Painting, both oil and water colors ;
drawing, in pencil, chalk, sepia, ETC.. !;
plaque and screen painting and China
painting, embroidery and decorative art.
work of every description, would
naturally be included. In this way
distinct and effective encouragement