The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-18
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM.

Of the members Of the corporation
February n. 1910. In which Mr.,
ChOate rehsarssd the chief factors
In the making Of the museum. Il
was the late John Jay who fro sug'
gested the formation Of a museum OF
the 6ne arts, and this suggestion occurred
In the delivery Of a Fourth Of July
banquet speech made in Paris; rather
the recommendation came In the after
dinner talk. After returning from hi'
mission In Vienna Mr. jay became presl'
dent Of the Union League Club. and Ia
this club the preliminary proceedings
for the organization Of a museum were
taken. Its art committee at that tims
consisted Of such men a. George p
Putnam. J. =. Kensett. ], y. A. Ward
WOrthington Whittridge, George A
Baker. Vincent Collier and Samuel P
Avery. The club held a meeting Octo-
Der II. Isoo. and report from this meet
ing was read and adopted. Invitations
were sent 10 tho members Of the leading
artistic and literary associations OF this
city for a meeting which occurred No
vember n the same year. william Cullen
Bryant presided. The following gentle.
men were elected vice-presidents: Daniel
Huntington. lats president Of the Acad-
envy Of National Design; R. NJ. Hunt,
president Of the New York Chapter Of tbs
Amsrican Institute Of Architects; Andrew
H. Green. Comptroller; William J. HOpptn
Of tho New York Historical society; DR..
H W. Bellows Of the Century Association;
Frederick A. p. Barnard. president Of
Columbia College; Hon. Henry q. Stebbins,
president Of the Central Park Commission;
Marshall o. Roberts Of the Union League
Club. and william y. Dodge. Jr.. presi-
dent Of the Young Mems Christian AssO-
citation. The secretaries appointed were
Samuel p. Avery and A. J. Bloor.
That meeting IL historical in the an
mails 81 American art Later John Taylor
johnson became the first president Of
the museum. which received lie charter
from the State Of New York April -. 1870
Mr. Choate remarked that az the Outas,
the pecuniary hopes Of the society werc
extremely modest. we could never have
dreamed that thres contributions in the
oourse If Ave years would turn into our
treasury something like ts,O0OOOO. a. re-
Gently happened by the contributions OF
Mr.. Rogers. Mr. Kennedy and Mr.. Hewitt.
Mr. Blodgei, and Theodore Roosevelt. the
latter the father n the President. die.
tinRuished themselves by their energy IN
raising funds The late 4. T. Stewart
gave 5000 which was considered colos'
aal sum In those days 20 he wasted on
the fine arts Mr. Blodget, secured al
bargain prices in Paris during the Com
mune a collection of Dutch English and
Flemish paintings. Then came the Ces-
nola collection The hrst museum build
ing vas 81 AL Fifth avenue; the s,cond al
i1s Wosi Fourteenth street Mr.. Johnson
died N isoS. he was succeeded by the late
Henry q. Maryland. whose liherality was
famous. The first collection was SECURED
in isI2 This was housed a. the Fifth
avenue museum. when the Cesnola cOlleo-
,iun was purchased larger quarters Were
necessary and the building ia West Four
tenth street vas secured.
In Is57 the first catalogue was issued
That year came the first State aid. tho
Legislature voting an appropriation Of
$4,000. In lp09 the city's appropriation
was a7oo.OO0. Mr.. ChOate paid his ~
poets 20 the memory u John Nelly for
his services In the Legislature. the most
reputable head Tammany ever had in our
time he added. He rapidly sketcheci
the growth 81 the institution: the p1r-
chasing fund ~ S5.Ono.OOO bequeathed n
the museum by Jacob = Rogers. down "a
the death in 1907 II Henry q. Marquand.
p ". Rhinelander succeeded Mr.. Mar
auand a. president. and In iooL the year
oi his demise. J. Piepnnt Morgan be-
came the fourth president Of the Metro
politan Museum
In that same year. 1904. General CesnOla
died: Robert w. de Forest succeeded him
as secretary. and Sir Caapar Purdon
Clarke In 1875 became the director.
Edward Robinson assistant director. Il
IL hardly necessary 60 reoapitulate the
enormous bequests and loans. AZ the Mar
quand. Wolfe and Vanderbilt galleries.
among others Little wonder Mr.. Choate
concluded by praising the liberality u
American men ot taste and wealth The
growth In the ANIMAL attendance az thu
museum will he noted In tho figures toE
April. iSOo. as.7S1. and in April. 1910.
ana
Five 81 the original founders died last
year. Robert Hoe. one u the inventors u
the preas that hears his name: Russell StIr-
Kis. architect and writer on the fine arta:
John Quincy Adams Ward. dean Of Ameri-
can soulptora; George Fiske Comfort. art
critic and educator. and Rutherford Stuy-
veaant. When in 1870 the meeting which
resulted in tho general plans that led N
definite action was held az the Union
League Club II was Professor Comfort
Who delivered the address II the occasion.
which aftsrwaFd appeared in odd and
New under the title Of Art Museums Of
America The account Of this meeting
will be- found in an octave pamphlet en-
titled "A Metropolitan Art Museum in the
City Of New York. PrOceedinGs Of Meet
ing Held at the Theatre Of the Union
League Club Tuesday Evening. November
y, 1870. Including Addresses. Remarks
and Letters by Mr. w. G. Bryant. Pro.
Eeasor Comfort. Mr.. R. NJ. Hunt. Mr..
Hsnry q Stebbins, Mr. William Hoppin.
Mr.. Russell SturEis. JT. the Rev. Dr..
Thompson. the Rev. MFR. Bellows. Mr.
MaFahall o. Roberta Mr.. George William
Curtis and others. n Y. Printed for the
COMMITTEES. 1859
And now. sinoe the Metropolitan Museum
Of Ar has safely paased the dangers OF
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