The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-09
DEALS OF OLD ACADEMY
TO BE REVIVED

# One hundred and thirty cone years
@61lpped from the calendar yesterday
&&fkernoon at the Art Ciub Of Rich
& 1nond. when its members were taken
Shack to the days Of the establishment
INK the FIRST Academy ~ Arts and
Sciences II America in the city OF
3 Wlchmond Va The ri. Rev Bishop
aDsConneii. president of the Art club,
\ rave the opening address o. tho meet
\ tnk and introduced the speakers. Mrs.
James Lyons great granddaughter OF
Patrick Henry who was governor OF
Virginia at the time read interesting
letters of great men of that day. Miss
Adele Clarke gave picturesque an
sAcCurate description Of the old build
s1ng and Miss Nora Houston closed
s4he program with readings from the
s&merican Journal. Of Baltimore, and
the Virginia Gazette, Of williams
4urE. Two descendants ef thr char
Ter members Of the ola academy.
kNOsewelI Page and Mrs Roberts
were prevented from berg present.
Bishop O'Conneu gave a sketch or
StAe founding Of the Academy Of
Sc1nnces and Fine Arts Of the United
Mates of America" patterned after
sMnd closely associated with The Royal
wOcieties Of Paris, Brussels and Lon
s0on, by the Cheyalicr Quesnay dc
Beaurepaire DE Beaurepaire was
8&he grandson OF the physician to
Louis XIV. and he was a veteran of
3ssF American Revolution.
Bishop OConnell through tho kind
ness of Mr. Schwcm. Of the state
1.5hrary,- had With him -cQa2-a2-tA t
memoirs Of the chevaiier presented
- Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
RSetting forth the plans OF the acad-
@my. This report wac examined by
the Paris societies and signed by the
xreat chemist IAvoisier. Ninety-six
s6fstingnished men and women OF the
day subscribed $4,000 to start the
EArNction OF a fitting home for the
SAcademy. whose object was to per-
Spefuate and strengthen the bonds OF
{ friendship between France and Amer,
3c4 and to cultivate similar tastes In
both countries.
Nh Bishop o'Connell pointed out the
AromArkab}e coincidence that. while
the Art club was celebrating the an
4 ntversary OF this bond an embassy
from France was being entertained in
this country. and the same bond of
zfrfEndship was being renewed. espe-
Hsctaliy as both countries are republics
today.
Mrs. James Lyons. great grand.
daughter of Patrick Henry. opened
her clever talk with anecdotes and
then read extracts from the most
/ famous letters OF history some OF
which were edited by her father
y While Beaurepaire was aroueing q
feeling for art here. the Virginia as.
r<embly ordered statues of Washing
ton and Lafayette TO be executed
One letter was from Thomas Jeffer
son. then in Paris, 10 Patrick Henri
In his third term Of governorship, II
\ Virginia. In It Jefferson recommend
\ Hondcn as the proper sculptor an,
X ne argues that the glory OF the statu
&4pf Washington viii lie III it's exac
Il measurements from life In conse
N uHence of the acceptance Of thes
terms. Houdon came to America II
Al7S5 and made his plaster casts. I'm
ashing the marble, now IN our stat
capitol in France. In letter q
/ Eeptember IS. 1856. from jefferson
70 Henry the story OF the acceptance
nj the bust of Lafayette by the Frencl
4 people. and I-afayette's pleasure "a
I hearing that a duplicate bust wa
placed in q niche in the virginia Capt
toll facing Washington statue From
-l4eDry's blefHa t+i4efs. Mrs 7--r1-7-
n charming account Of his artIsti
taste in selecting homes
Miss Adele Clarke took tho Ar
club. back to the days when Eas
BROAD street stopped a. Twelfth an,
q Marshall street was n gully. sh
I showed plans Of the intended repro
duction of the gardens al the Louvr
ssin Richmond on the block now occu
y pied by Monumental church. II
hose days the state Capitol was he
Ing erected Of red bricks. and COW
Hand goats erazed on the weeds !,
the Captol Aqnare record IN tn
\ CITY Hail shows whore CITIZENS hai