Evening star., 1941-02-02

oLICcL uHu ECHItSyLOuHLu aug
nue..
pavilions, one on either corner, and
divided into two stories. The centra!
pavilion has vermiculated quoinS ii
the corner, and these inclose the
grand entrance door with a carved
Jamb and arch, overtopped with
fierce tigers heads, in relieve. The
anticom of the first story is simple
in design and detail, and at the same
time corresponds with the massive
| ness of the quoins at the corners o.
the building.
Arched Recess Mace.
THE second story of the centra;
pavilion consists of an arched recess.
| The span between the import and
the suffit of the arch is filled with
decorations, and contains the mon
ogram Of the founder, surrounded
with carved wreaths and enscroll-
mentS. Just beneath this there is
palladium window, with fluted
pilasters and columns and capitals,
expressing American foliage. ex-
| Quisitely carved. In the arch are
two wreaths, encircling various I'm
plementS Of painting and sculpture.
The central pavilion is fanked
on either side by two f1uted columns,
with capitals representing the broad
leaves and fruit of the cornstalk.
These support an entablature, on
"a
arts, on the frieze of the central
| pavilion; and on this are inscribed
the words, Dedicated to Art The
cornice over this has a pediment.
in the tympanum of which is base
relief, representing the genius of
Painting, surrounded by figures en-
blamatical of the sister arts.
THE entire structure is sur
rounded by an imposing mansard
roof, carried 10 feet higher than tie
ordinary roof of the building. T1c
architects were James Renwick, jr.,
and R. T. Auchmuty of New York.
The cost of the building was
$3.50 900.
"The entrance is on Pennsylvania
avenue, and opens into a vestibu,e
25 by % feet, from which lead the
broad stairs to the second story.
| These stairs are of freestone, 10 feet
wide. On each side are passages
8i2 feet wide, leading to the sculp-
ture hall. The stairs and halls are
lighted by two courts.
The vestibule to the sculpture
hall is 10 feet wide by % feet lone,
with two spacious bay windows At
the ends. The sculpture hall itself
is 25 feet wide and is amply lighted
by 10 windows.
The janitor's apartments are on
the right of the main veStibule and
just behind them. and connecting
with the main sculpture hall. are two
rooms, one 19 by 4312 feet, the other
l9 feet square. These rooms can be
used for school of design, which it
is proposed to establish.
"On the left of the vestibule is
the trustees room, Is by 80 feet, and
adjoining is the library, 20 by IS feet.
These galleries are connected by
spacious arched doors"
"The building was formally con-
veyed by the donor, w. w. Corcoran.
Esq, of Washington. to a board of
trustees in 1869, who were incor-
porated in 1870.
"The basis OF the collection Of
painting and statuary is the rare
valuable private gallery of Mr.. Cor
coran, which cost upwards of
$1OOOOO
COrcOran Opening.
The present Corcoran Gallery Of
Art is housed in one of the finest
monuments to architecture in the
National Capital The gallery was
formally opened on Monday, Feb
ruary %, 1897. At this time the
trustees were: President, Mr.. S. H.
Kaufman; vice president. Judge
Walter S. Cox; secretary. Mr.. F. B.
Mcclure; treasurer, Mr.. C. C.
Glover, and Mr.. Edward Clark, Mr..
Calderon Carlisle, Mr.. M. w. Gait,
Mr.. William Corcoran Eustis and
Mr.. Thomas Hyde.
In referring to the opening of this
gallery, The Star of February 20,
1897, said:
THE opening of the new Cor
coran Gallery of Art, which is set
for Washington's birthday, will al
ways be regarded as one of the real
ly important features in the history
Of Washington. 1t means a great
deal to the art world of the United
States, even more to the people Of
this city, and to the thousands who
visit Washington every year. From
the time the ground was broken for
the new building, work has been
pushed with surprisingly little de-
lay, and the massive white structure
has reared its noble walls until it
stands today complete in every de-
tail, from the floor of the basement
to the fierce grifins that surmount
the topmoSt SkylightS."
One of the smaller private art
galleries in Washington was owned
for many years by Thomas E. Wag-
gaman, who resided at 5000 o street
NV. Like art of so many connois-
seurs, Mr.. Waggaman's collection
gradually grew too large for his resi-
dence and, to accommodate the
overflow, he erected an addition to
his home, which is now a separate
residence. James c. Mcclure, whose
old home still stands at 614 E street
NV, and who is still recalled for
his art collections, also found It
necessary to build an addition to
his dwelling, where he kept open
house to those interested in art.