Year: 1871

The Committee and tho Contributors.


This noble enterprise, to which we referred edt
toraly several days ago, Is progressing with every
prospect OF success. The committee having the
matter In charge make report OF the growth
OF the project, In which they say


The want oil such q museum is not the want OF q
place of amusement nor even of new adorn ment
OF city and attraction to strangers. II Is the
want OF an essential means OF high cultivation. The
need OF such museum and the lack OF lt are fot
by every cultivated man and woman. and are bitter
ly regretted by all those whose studies lead them
into the dominion OF the beautiful arts. Permanent
public collections OF works OF art are hardly known
In America; chosen and carefully arranged
coilecrons are unknownGwhlle eve even Third.
which students come from afar to inspect. Such
means OF artstica cultivation are being provided IN
America has been too long unpr0vlded with works
OF art for the study and enjoyment OF all The fact
architecture OF the past and that we have no monu.
mental works OF paintings and or sculpture OF the
great times or art, should lead us 10 oven greater
efforts than are made In the cities OF Europe to eS
tabsh Tree museums oil fine art.


The chief purpose OF the museum is Of course, to
and the many changes Of style and spirit it has
undergone. II s Thought tnat IL Is better TO conoen.
COLLECTIONS to,erably complete in one direction or In
another. rather than less representative in many
different departments. In wha. departments It will
be found best TO purchase the most largely at first
will depend so much upon the opportunities
offered and so much upon The amount OF money
tnAJ DC AZ ulSpOSal VI tiuSLeeS, Tue
officers OF the museum are unable to define closely
their proposed course. But one object they have In
view, which they think will be recognized as most
important one by oil classes OF the community. Is
the formation OF complete )lleCt0n OF industrial
art OF all styles and erls illustrating the application
OF ornamental design TO all classes or Workmanship
and manufacture


A bill is now pending before the Legislature to
empower the commissioners OF Public Parks TO ex-
pend ST. 600 900 In erecting buildings FOR the Ameri
can Museum OF Natural History and the Metropoli.
tan Museum OK Art. The location OF these upon
ground belonging TO the city IS left TO the dis
Cretion Of the Commissioners who have assured the
officers OF the museum OF their support and assist
ance. Private subscriptions are asked for the pur
given below, and those made IN future will be ac-
knOwedged from time to time subscriptions may
be sent to any Oficer of the museum.


When the subscription list shall amount to
$250,0O0 the money Will be called in and immediate
steps viii be taken to make purchases ludclously,
ana bring the works Of art brought to this city as
soon as a fre-proef place Of keeping shall be pro-
yded for them.


An important purchase has already been made for
pictures chiefly OF the Flemish and Dutch
schools, made up Of two private galleries Of
gre at merit and celebrity In Paris and Brussels
respectively. These pictures were bought III
France and Prussia They were offered to the Mu-
scum at their cost the authenticity OF each picture
being guaranteed, and the expense and trouble OF
carrying them until bought by the Museum provided
for. BY recent vote Of the trustees the pictures
are purchased for the Museum on the condltion Of
the raising OF the quarter OF q million OF dollars
specified above Orders have been sent to bring the
pictures to New York at once.


SUBSCRIPTION TO THE FUND OF $250,000 FOR THK
METROPOLITAN AUSEUM OF ART.