Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-21
WOULD RESTORE ANCIENT
ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS
Meeting for Purpose to BE
Held in Richmond
in June.
WAS FOUNDED HERE IN 17sn

was fV'NbrD HERE IN 1850
Establishment Result of Zcn,o,. v,
| or Scholarly Young French Ofoc..
In American Army or ReyoIntI,n
| ChcNRlier dc DcRurcpnirc,
few weeks ago special COM
| mitten. appointed by tha Virginia
LcaA<s ~ yina Ara. oammencea IN
work out plans for the establishment
In Richmond OF n gallery devoted to
art. The report of this committee
shows that most OF the interest cx-
pressed by the people approached on
the subject. was In the restoration OF
the old Academy O! Arts. founded
mere In 1885. The origin and purpose
OF tho Academy are well explained In
the account given by Miss Adele
Clark.
Inc establishment of tho academy
was the result Of tho jealous work Of
"A scholarly young French officer in
IN" American Army OF tho Rcvolu-
tion-thn Chcvalicr Alexander Marie
'9ncsnay dc OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES am
| b!tions for America were worthy Of
/ Il native American. whose vision of
the possibilities OF Virginia have not
heen exceeded By Virglnlans. AID
whose motives I'm founding IN, ...J-
envy are best Expressed Ia his own
words saw the advantage
OF multiplying, under circumstances
dS interesting AS thos" OF The birth OF
"a republic. the rotations OF France
/ win this republic. and OF uniting ~
! |" my native land by new motives of
gratitude, az conformity in tastes.
ana 81 more intimate communication
, b''w the Individuals OF the TWO
nations
First Of Kind In Country.
ON May :. 1885. tho tenth voar ot
l our republic. the Academy or Sclooc.
ana fine Arts .! AueriCan-,he iirsr
/ academy Of It's kind 10 he formed f.,
I ms country, and an institution OF
such scope and far-reachinE possi-
biIti"s az 10 be cv.n now unparalleled
:" M unlted Stttcs-was foundcL-in
, Richmond. Va
Tn" sndeavor had tho favorable
. attention Of King Louis XVI, and
"hs supported by the royal acad-
emi"s o. France and hy leaders in
thought and action IN the states
"t New York. Sew Jersey. Pcnnsyi-
Ehni"' MARI land. South Carolina and
/ ElrG ma, In which last named Stata
was 'onnh the majority Of subscr!b-
'rs The academy acquired tho
property known subsequently az
Academy square. that sauarc now
bounded by Twelfth. Broad, College
ana Marshall Streets. the original
deed for which, from Dr. Turpln =,
John iarvic. trustee for tho ncai-
cmy' IL on record IN the Chnuce-y
Court OF Richmond. In tn. center
OF the western portion %: the gar
dcns, which were designed on tn.
plan of those OF the Louvre wac
erected the Academy Building. the
cornerstone Of which was laid with
impressive ceremonies by the Ma
sons Of Lodge ~. -, on June "a.
1856.
Completed by I1>s.
The building was completed by
i7ss, for d. the New Academy met
the virginia Convention which rat!-
fed the Constitution OF the United
states. AT that time the founder
president. the chcvalIer Qucsuay de
Beaurcpalrc. was In Franc. present
ing h!s plan To the King and TO the
royal academies OF France owing
TO tho French Revolution. the pa
trIotic young Frcnchman was pre-
| vented from returning 10 Richmond
To manage the academy. and the
brilliant project did not reach fun
maturity
The list of subscribers TO- and
members OF the academy. including
some OF tho most eminent men and
women OF the eighteenth century.
both here and abroad. IN. list Of
names OF the Arst council OF Rd
ministrntion in Richmond. and OF
tho committee Of correspondence in
Paris. the Constitution and bylaws
and the impression OF the seal OF
the academy. however. are cxtant."
1t Is especially hitting that tho
chairman OF the academy committee
OF the Virginia League OF Fine Arts,
HnSnNrctl sbntllI hc a Iegr,n1-
ant OF one Of the first patrons OF the
old academy. John Page. OF Rose
well. at one time Governor OF Viz
GINA.
Gail Meeting In June.
Under the direction OF Mr.. Page
and the academy committee. n spe-
cial meeting will he called during
the first part Of June. to be COM
posed Of public spirited citizens. in
tcrested in art. - large committee
has hern appointed to consider the
ways and means OF rebuilding the
academy for Use as an art gallery.
Some of those who will attend are,
Judge John Barton Payne, Arthur
Dawson, Miss Adele Clark, Miss Nora
Houston, Prince Pierre Trouhctzkoy,
Roosevelt Page. DR.. S. G. Mitchell.
Miss Julia Woodbridge. George Cole
Scott, Mr.. and Mrs. John SHELTON
Williams, Harry NJ. Smith. Mrs. Carl
Melchers. Lewis C. Williams. Miss
Virginia Randolph Elicit. Miss Mar
Carct Freeman. Miss Elizabeth
Davenport, Mrs. T.. II. Mofiitt, Eppa
Hunton. Jr., Governor II. Leo Trinkle.
Mayor George Ainslie. Gary Lambert,
carter wormeley. Mrs. Charles q.
Kosher, Charles +. Gillette. John
Powell. T.. G. Laird Miss Louisa
peasants. Miss Margaret Prescott
Montague Miss Julia Moore, Mrs.
Joseph Everett. Miss Louise Burlcigh,
Miss Frances Il. Scott, Mr.. and Mrs.
John Stewart Bryan. Rt Rev. u. J.
O'Conncll, Miss Ellen Ball. Branch
Johnson. and many others who have
not yet been heard from.
| ,,...,, 81 ,,,,Il,a.s lt,a1.oors