Evening star., 1937-01-03

nC LC1L " LftC COffCOPONHCHS
bet1Deen AndreD w. Mellon an
President Roosevelt regardin
MELONS gift to the GoDernmer
of his art collection and of q gd
lery in Which to house it appea,
bel01D.
December %, 1886.
My Dear Mr.. Roosevelt:
Over a period of many years.
I have been acquiring important
. and rare paintings and sculpture
with the idea that ultimately they
would become the property of the
people of the United States and be
made available to them in ma
tional art gallery to be maintained
in the city Of Washington for the
purpose of encouraging and de-
veloping a study of the fine arts.
have within the last few years
transferred these paintings and
sculpture to trustees with respon-
sibility for carrying out this pur-
pose and have given them full
power and authority to deed these
works of art to a national gallery
If and when such an institution
shall assume and be prepared to
carry out the purpose intended. In
addition, I have given to the trus-
tees securities ample to erect a
gallery building of sufficient size
to house these works of art and
to permit the indefinite growth of
the collection under conserva-
tive policy regulating acquisitions.
Such a gallery would be for the
use and benefit of the general pub
lie: and it is my hope that it may
attract gifts from other citizens
who may in the future desire to
contribute works of art of the high
est quality to form a great ma
tional collection. In connection,
therefore, with the intended gift
I shall stipulate that the proposed
building shall not bear my name,
but shall be known as The National
Art Gallery, or by such other name
as may appropriately identify it
as gallery Of art of the National
Government.
In order to carry out this pur-
pose, and with the approval of the
other trustees. wish to propose
plan to give the art collection
which I have brought together, to
the Smithsonian Institution or to
the United States Government for
the benefit of the people of this
country. and also to erect or cause
to be erected on public land a suit
able building for such a national
gallery Of art, the design and ma
terials of which shall be subject to
the approval of the Fine Arts Com
mission. Mr.. John Russell Pope
Of New York has been employed
as architect to study this project
and will furnish designs for such
a building.
Mellon Cites Importance
of Proper Location.
The location of such q gallery Is
a matter that must be given most
careful consideration. It should
not only be readily accessible to
those wishing to visit the gallery,
but should also be located at a
point with sufficient surrounding
property under control of public
authorities to protect 1t from un-
desirable encroachments. In my
own opinion and that of others who
are familiar with the general plan
of washington, it would seem that
q site on the Mall would most
nearly meet these requirements;
and the designation of a definite
site, therefore. for the building on
public land will be incorporated in
the offer Of the gift to the Gov
ernment.
In addition to the gift of the art
collection and q building in which
1t and similar collections may be
housed and displayed, plan also
to establish an endowment fund
for the proposed gallery, the income
from which shall be used to pay
the annual salaries of a director,
assistant director, secretary and
curators of the gallery, and for
possible future art acquisitions.
The upkeep of the building and
other administrative expenses and
cost of operation would be pro-
vided in appropriations to be made
by Congress, as for the Other units
of the Smithsonian Institution.
The orderly and eficient ad-
ministration Of the proposed
gallery and its policy respecting
acquisitions are both imperative
considerations affecting the estab-
lishment Of such q gallery. I
would suggest that the affairs of the
proposed gallery should be managed
by q competent and separate board
of trustees acting for it as q unit
of the Smithsonian Institution and
that they be empowered to make
bylaws and regulations governing
its operations.
It is of the greatest importance
that future acquisitions Of works Of
art, whether by gift or purchase,
shall be limited to objects Of the
highest standard Of quality, so that
the collections to be housed In the
proposed building shall not be
marred by the introduction Of art
that Is not the best Of its type.
I have tried to adhere to this