The San Francisco call., 1896-04-24

The committee appointed to award the
Phelan prizes, aggregating $1,000, organized
Wednesday, and yesterday submitted the
following report:
SAN FRANCISCO April %, 1896.
To the Directors Of the San Francisco ART Asso-
cidtion-G ENTLEMEN: The committee appointed
to award the prizes offered by James D. Phelan
for certain historical pictures to be painted by
California artists has the honor to submit the
following report. The letter in which Mr.. Phe-
Ian defines his offer is as follows:
NOVEMBER IL, 1895.
To the Directors Of the San Francisco Art Assoca-
tfon--GENTLEMEN: hereby make the following
proposition for the encouragement OF local art and
historical research: 1 viii give the association
$1,000 to be used for the following purposes Eight
hundred dollars TO be paid for the best picture
painted by California artist resident in the State,
representing of these subjects: ''The Discov-
cry of the Pacific Ocean," by Balboa: t.The Dis
covery of California" by Cabrillo: 'The Discovery
of the Bay OF San Francisco by Portala. The
second choice in the competition shall receive 81 so
and the third $50
The picture shall belong to the association and
all the competitive canvases shall be exhibited at
the spring exhibition Of the association prfl
1896, at which time the selections shall be made
by the judges.
The judges shall be chosen as follows: Two art
lists by the competitors, two laymen by the di-
recors OF the association and fifth, who shall be
an artis,by the four chosen. The votes of three
OF the judges, who shall act during the first week
of the said spring exhibition shall be necessary
a decision. The directors of the association shall
make all other rules not inconsistent with the fore
going. j. d. PHELAN.
In accordance Herewith the board of direc-
tors of the Art Association appointed as judges
the following laymen: F. s. Samuels and Cap
tain Robert Fl. Fletcher. The competitors
selected the following artists: Ernest Peixotto
and Douglas Tilden. These four gentlemen
chose from among the resident artists Bruce
Porter.
Their organization being thus completed the
judges assembled at the art institute April %
al P. M, all being present. The meeting was
called to order by Captain Fletcher, who was
requested to act as chairman, and deliberation
ensued as to the best means of transacting the
business before 1T.
After due CELEBRATION it was decided that
Mr. Phelan's wishes as interpreted by the
terms of his letter received is best promoted
by the consideration of these salient features
in the works su omitted:
First-Historical yalue-i. e., the storytelling
quality of the picture: its unmistakable por-
travail of the incident, nature chosen, SO that
the history and motive OF the scene should be
plainly apparent, a requirement which would
also include treatment of the peculiarities of
the local landscape, accuracy of details as re-
CARDS costume, race characteristics and other
points tending to make the picture vivid and
real in its presen tation of an important epoch
in the history of California
Sec ond-Technica1 excellence. e., color
drawing, composition and those other techni-
cal qualities which should be found in a
picture representative of the local art at this
period. g
These two considerations. in the opinion of
the judges were of equal weight.
Third-Dramatic interest,". e. the depicting
bv grouping attitude or otherwise, the sign1f-
canoe OF the scene and the emotion naturally
attending such supreme moment.
of the Judges should be obtained by secret bal
lot.
Four paintings had been submitted by the
following artists viz. William Keith, A. F.
Mathews. Emil Pissis and A. w. Best
These paintings having been on exhibition
since the opening of the spring exhibition
each of the judges had ample opportunity for
viewing them, and each accordingly an
nounced that he had arrived at decision and
was ready to proceed to vote.
The first ballot awarded the first prize of
$500 to A. F. Mathews "Discovery of the Bay
of San Francisco"
The second ballot awarded the second prize
of $3.50 to William Keiths Discovery Of the
Bay OF San Francisco"
The third ballot awarded the third prize of
$50 to Emil Pissis' ''Discovery of the Bay OF
San Francisco" We are, gentlemen, yours
very respectfully, FREDERICK S. SAMUELs,
BRUCE PORTER,
DOUGLASS TILDEN.
ERNEST C. PEIxoTTo,
RORERT II