Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-13
AMONG ARTAND ARTISTS.
A BRILLIANT EXHIBITION AT
THE TELFAIR ACADEMY.

THE TELFAIR ACADEMY.
The Institution Informally Opened I'M
der FavOring Auspices-The Dediea-
tory Prsyer by Rev. DIR. Arson and Ad-
dresses by Gen. jackson and Di-
rector Brandt-Fifteen HundredP eOple
Admire the Marvellous Collection of
Art Brought Together Through the
Munidcent Request of Generous
Renefectress.
The informal opening Of the Telfair
Academy of Arts and Sciences yesterday
vas a brilliant success. Fully 1000 peO-
pie holding cards Of invitation and half
as many more without cards attended
the reception. From 10O'clock. when the
doors were opened until they were closed
at 8 O'Clock, there was continual stream
of visitors. Barnard and President
streets in the vicinity Of The academy
were lined with carriages. and during
/ most OF the day. while the reception was
in progress. the halls, sculpture rooms
| and galleries of the old mansion were
| crowded with surprised and delighted VlsI-
/ tOrs-suTprised at the marvellous changes
! that have been made in the building and at
/ the extent and beauty of the collection OF
art with which it is populated, and
| proud of the existence of such
/ a collection in Savannah. 1t was an
/ exhibition for which the people were not
| prepared, and which surpassed in beauty
and value many Of the more famous col
IectiOns in the country.
Between 10 and II O'Clock the crowds
| thrOnged the halls until il seemed that
| there was room for no more. Every body
il seemed, went early, but during the
/ closing hours Of the reception the attend
| ance was even greater than in the morn
| ing. Expressions of admiration were
| heard everywhere, and the universal
voice was one OF amazement and aston
ishment.
At O'Clock the dedicatOry prayer was
offered by Rev. DR.. Arson of the hide
pendent Presbyterian Church.
Gen. Henry r. jackson, President of
the Georgia Historical Society, standing
in the gallery over the entrance IN the
| main hall. delivered an eloquent address,
reviewing the history of the academy from
its inception in the beQuest Of the founder,
placed in possession OF the historical
Society on May 10. 1883. up 10 yesterday.
The bequest amounted to $4,000. The
speaker went on 10 show how with this
sum the necessary changes IN the
/ old mansion were made and yet
I enough was left 20 populate II
with the rich collection that now adorns
its halls and rooms. The first step taken
I anu ENG trust EGfElhttl- tnG oENUlANA anu lni
! more difficult remained, now 10 make ont
of the clumsy old Building museum for
the reception OF what those into whose
hands the trust was committed intended
| il should be-One of the finest collections
of art in this country. How and by what
/ means 10 obtain this collection was the
third and most difficult problem OF all 10
be solved. But a short time before the re.
ceipt of the legacy. Continued the General,
MIR. Vanderbilt had paid for a small pic
ture by MISSIONER, a mere miniature oil
/ Is bv II inches at most, $50. 900. a few years
1 earlier Mrs. Stewart had given for larger
picture By the same master $40 GOO.
/ Within the last ei.ht months ths National
| Gallery OF London has bought portrait
Of Charles l., by Nandyke, Tor .,0OO, or
[ So 900 and a Madonna 10y Raphael Tor
$4,000, or $l,S50,O00. What hope
crushing out contrast What could we
accomplish with the remnants OF our
modest sum of $4,000:
1t became clear that to enable the so
ciety TO establish anything deserving the
name of an Academy of Arts, more money,
or something which money could not buy,
was needed. the man was needed. In the
summer of 1883. Mr. Brandt insisted upon
leaving his home on the Hudson TO visit
/ the building. III am u become respOn-
sihle as Director said Mr.. Brandt, i
must see the building, and see 1t at once
! He came To Savannah, and the design OF
the beautiful hall flashed from his brain
Arrangements were made for all altera-
tiOns, and the work was Iegun. The
building.9s il exists now. after every tb:ng
/ thus far has been done. is unchanged IN
the essentials from the old family home
/ the library Of Mr.. HOdgsOn, the room in
which Miss Telfair died, all the apart
ments on the south side OF the mouse
/ specially occupied by the family, remain
I substantially the same-the OctagOnal
reception room on the floor below To he
I the reception room for the future, and the
! family dining room, beyond II. TO be de-
voted 10 the pictures and other works OF
art Of the Telfair family. None or these
were placed on eXhibitiOn.as in their pres
ent condition tho managers did not con-
Z slider II Just to show them. They
will, however. be restored from
the deterioration which they
1 have suffered and Will be exhibited when
I the institution is formally opened. The
/ speaker then took up Mr.. Brandts trip IN
{ Europe. Aug. Is, 1SS3,' he said. ''fOund
Mr Brandt embarked. with authority To
spend $4,000 in works Of art. During the
four months employed il this task be
Travelled 1900 miles. He visited most Of
the art centres in Europe; he made Ms
{ purchases and his contracts nearly every
I where. Shortly after be mad landed at
| Liverpool the shipments of them began.
| tbCy have been coming eF0E since, ana
the cry is still they come a glance at
this building will suffice TO show that it is
wholly incapable of receiving them. 1t
was resolved to build an annex, 10 consist
Of two large halls 81 feet square, the lower
To be fiO0red with marble. to contain the
/ largest group OF statuary in the wOrld-the
! TaurO Farnese. Of which hut one other
/ copy has ever been made. TO stand N the
centre: the entire hall 10 be well n'ied
from the beginning, and its four walls to
be covered with photographs and en-
cravings like those which you see III all
directions around you. the gallery above
| To be surrounded with the nOblest anu
I most beautiful frieZe, part Of which IS
now hung before me-the work OF mas
ter painter. And so architecture Will
unite with her sister arts-painting and
! sculpture-in the decoration Of these con-
1 secrated premises. And all this 10 be
effected with $4,000, and a gross annual
income Of $I.OOO.
He referred to the various valuable
works which Mr.. Brandt had secured,
among them the famous painting The
Relics of the Brave" Prof. Proctor
during his visit to Savannah last week,
he said. stood before the picture, and after
| admiring it. asked its cost. 1.-Two
hundred pounds was the reply OF the
Director. who stood by his side. Prof.
Proctor Immediately exclaimed, why,
hon -raWHI for