New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
THE NATIONAL GALLERY
Smithsonian Collection of american
1frt Steadily GrOseing.
Irrnn r-ha Tribune Rureau.l

Washington Dec 22-Richard Rathbun.
sistant secretary of the Smithsonian Institution,
in charge of the United States National Museum
speaking of the history and development of the
National Gallery of Art. which by law is one Oh
the museum features of the Smithsonian lnsti-
tuition. summarizes its growth as follows IN his
annual report. just issued
Examples of art were among the very first
acquisitions by the institution and from time TO
time thereafter additions of one kind ana an
other were received, but any sum that might
have been spared for this purpose from tie
Smithsonian income would have been wholly
insufficient TO make any pronounced or SyS-
tenatic progress in this direction. In the Ma
tionaI Museum. however, certain branches of art
have been fostered for over a quarter OF
century and are fairly well represented
The first collection purchased by the lnstltu-
ton was the valuable series of prints assem-
bed by the Hon. George ?. Marsh. containing
examples of the work of nearly every etcher ana
engraver OF celebrity from the early masters 10
the middle of the last century Though not the
largest. il recognized as the choicest col
lection of its kind then in this country Later
accesSions included besides engTayingS, nHm-
ber of paintings, reproductions of celebrated
pieces Of sculpture. busts OF distinguished lnol-
Viduals and many important books on art
The early exhibition in the upper Smithsonian
Hall consisted mainly OF the unique collections
of Indian portraits and scenes by j. NJ. StanleY,
g. 5. King and others. but IN the hre OF 1900
this section Of the gallery, with its contents.
entirely destroyed. The objects on the
lower floor escaped injury and were supse-
Quenty deposited for safe keeping in the Library
of Congress and the Corcoran Gallery or All,
where thew remained until about ten years ago
Since that time of the rooms in the eastern
part of the Smithsonian building has been utll-
lied for the prints. books and various other
works of art. but the larger part of the coilec-
tion has been provided fer in the Natlonai
Museum
SOME RECENT CONTRIBUTIONS.
Such. briefly, the history of the art eK-
hibits I'D to January, 1906, when the acceptance
by the Board of Regents of the large and notable
collie IF I, ETeer
ginning of epoch in the affairs OF the
gallery OF art In the following July further
advance was made through the acquisition or
the valuable collection of the late Harriet Lane
Johnston. based on a decision of the supreme
Court of the District of Columbia essentially
reafirning the intent of the Fundamental act
that the custodianship Of the National Gallery
OF Art was vested in the Smithsonian lhstitu-
fion. This collection is especially noteworthy IN
that IL contains paintings by several celebrated
masters, besides other pieces Of merit and OF
historical Importance. II delivered 10 the
institution in the early part of August 1906. and
was at once installed in the reception room In
the Smithsonian building, the only place then
available.
The necessity Of securing extensive
quarters without delay led to the selection and
temporary fitting up of the lecture hall in the
museum building for the purposes OF the gal-
iery and especially for the paintings. On the
completion of these changes, in the latter part
of November. 1906. the Harriet Lane johnston
collection and other paintings were transferred
there and these. with several loans and dona-
tions fully occupy the existing wall space
Among tbe loans should be mentioned twenty
one paintings from the Lucius Tuckerinan col
lection and among the gifts one by the Hon;
I r Henderson, a regent of the institution, ana
one bv Miss Eleanor Blodgett of New York
During the latter part of the winter the gal
Iarv received A most substantial and gratifying
recognition from William T Evans, of Mont
clair y j. the well known connolsseur ana
natron of art, whose contribution, made Win
out solicitation consisted of thirty-two paint
irps In oil by American artists of established
renutation Unfortunately, no place could De
found in the museum building for this valuable
4 11-aC PROVIDE
where for its temporary keeping This has been
accomplished through the courtesy OF the
trustees of the Corcoran Gallery or Art "fere
the pictures are now hung, filling the greater
part OF the large atriuTn.
Leaving out of consideration the Freer collec-
+io, which is 10 remain at the home OF It's gen.
ernns donor during his lifetime. the national
gallery now has in its possession valuable
Taintings and other art objects for whose exhl-
hilton under suitable conditions II IS important
20 arrange without delay. For this purpose
.here is no better place in the existing bulidlngs
than the second story of the main part or tne
Stn1ity,sonian building, a hall 200 feet long by %
feet wide