Evening star., 1925-06-05
ACADEMY OF DESIGN
COMMITTEE HERE
Conferring on Centenary to
Be Held at CorCoran
Gallery in Fall.

A special committee representing
the National Academy of Design,
whose centenary is to be celebrated
next Autumn with a great exhibition
at the Corcoran Gallery of Art of the
works of past and present members
of that oldest art organization in
America, reached Washington this
morning to inspect the facilities of
the local art institution and to con-
fer with c. Powell Minnigerode, its di-
rector.
The committee consists of Charles
c. Curran, N. A, secretary of the or
ganization; John Ward Dunsmore,
A. NJ. A, director of the forthcoming
exhibition. and f. Ballard Williams.
". A, member of the council and
chairman of the committee on paint
ings.
Outstanding Art Event.
The exhibit. considered not only one
of the outstanding art events in the
history of Washington, but of the
whole country, will probably open
late in October and close early in De
cember. After its showing here it
will be taken to New York and later,
at least in major part, throughout the
country.
Painters alone. decea ased and living,
whose works will be shown number
no fewer than 535. A vast amount of
negotiation has been necessary on the
part of National Academy officials to
Gull fine examples of these members.
For the first time in its history, for
example, the Boston Museum of Fine
Arts will permit unit of its perma-
nent collection to leave its walls. Fiji
teen works of art will come from the
Metropolitan Museum, New York. The
Carnegie Institution is lending the
one Abbey which will grace the dis
play. The sculptorst committee has
already issued a set of instructions for
the assembly of works of art of that
character; the architects and other
committees will follow suit in the
near future. 1t is understood that it
will not be possible TO retain the
paintings of deceased members more
than six weeks, or long enough to
show them here and in New York
Sater, but the collection of the efforts
of living members which will make
an extensive tour will, nevertheless,
be an extensive and valuable one.
Must Make Room.
In order to accommodate the exhibit
here the Corcoran Gallery must re-
thove that part of it's permanent col
lection which is housed in the up
stairs galleries. InaSmuch as this in
stitution was established primarily for
the acquisition and display of fine ex-
a npleS of American art, the inStalla-
ton of this great retrospective exhibit
WIS considered distinctly within the
SO ppe of the functions of the gallery.
The coming exhibit is but one as
peit of a great educational expansion
prI gram on the part of the National
Academy, which includes a $1,000, 900
end ,wment fund for exhibits, develop
meKt and expansion of it's art school
in New York, a fund to enable art
students to go abroad, and plan
whereby American cities contributing
to this program will enable their citi-
zens to witness an academy exhibition
each year and to send certain students
to the College of Art.
This whole scheme and its attendant
campaign and centenary celebration
is distinctly in response to an actual
nationwide demand and indicates d
noticeable renaissance in American
art For example, letters which will
reach one million members of the Cen
eral Federation of Women's Clubs
have been sent out by Mrs. Samuel
NJ. Inman of Atlanta, Ga, chairman
of the federation's department of fine
arts, calling attention to the coming
celebration and characteriZing it as
the opportunity of d lifetime to study
American art" She suggests that in
connection Herewith each State chair
man shall endeavor to secure a paint
ing or a bronze for each public school
and that every American home be en-
riched through similar purchase. A
QUESTIONABLE sent to the arts section
of each branch of the federation asks:
Are you preparing to have a course
of study in connection with this cele-
bration, the art event of the century,"
Academy officials wish strongly to
emphasize the national character of
their organization, as evidenced by it's
history and scope, and the fact that
it's inaugural will take place at the
National Capital. Although incorpo-
rated in New York, it's membership
represents As States and l3 foreign
countries.