76th Annual Report for the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Item
Title
76th Annual Report for the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Identifier
1881-AR.pdf
Date
1881
Creator
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Subject
annual report
finance report
school report
exhibition
history
Publisher
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' Dorothy and Kenneth Woodcock Archives
Medium
paper
Format
PDF
Source
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' Dorothy and Kenneth Woodcock Archives
Language
eng
Rights
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extracted text
,
ANNU'AL REPORT
OF THE
PENNSYLVANIA AC'ADE·MY
OF THE
FINE ARTS
FOR
1881-82.
PHILADELPHIA:
COLLINS', PRINTER, 705 lAYNE STREET.
1882.
I
OFFICERS OF THE ACADEMY.
Presidmt.
JAMES L. CLAGHORN.
Directors.
GEORGE S. PEPPER,
HENRY C. GIBSON,
FAIRMAN ROGERS,
CLARENCE H. CLARK,
WILLIAM B. BEMENT,
JOSEPH W. BATES,
WILLIAM S. BAKER,
EDWARD H. COATES,
ATHERTON BLIGHT,
JAMES S. MARTIN,
E. BURGESS WARREN,
CHARLES HENRY HART:
Committee on A cade1'lzy Property.
HENRY C. GIBSON,
GEORGE S. PEPPER,
CLARENCE H. CLAR.K,
EDWARD H. COATES,
WILLIAM B. BEMENT.
Committee on Finance.
ATHERTON BLIGHT.
Committee on h zstrztction.
FAIRMAN ROGERS,
WM: S. BAKER,
JOSEPH W. BATES,
EDWARD H. COATES.
Committee on Exhibitions.
GEORGE S. PEPPER,
WILLIAM B. BEMENT,
JOSEPH W. BATES,
JAMES S. MARTIN.
Treaszwtr
EDWARD H . COATES.
Secretary
GEORGE CORLISS.
Cumtor o/the School and Librarian
H. C. WHIPPLE.
SCHOOL DEPARTM ENT.
Director of School
THO MAS EAKINS.
Pl'oftssor of AI'tistic Anatomy
W. W. KEEN, M.D .
Assistant Professor of P ainting and DrmIJing
THOMAS ANSHUTZ.
De1Jl0Izstrat01' of Anatomy
JOHN WALLACE.
.
Correspondence on matters connected with the school should be addressed
. to Mr. H. C.
WHIPPLE,
Curatol'o
t 6TH
,ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
PENNSYLVANIA ACkDEMY OF THE
FINE ARTS
FOR 1881-82.
The Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine
Arts respectfully submits to the Stockholders the following report. f6r
the past year-commencing, as usual, with a statemen,t of additiQns
~~
.
,
"
ART ,PROPERT.Y.
Since the last report, the following works of art have been added'
to the permanent collection of the Academy by the generosity
its friends:- '
of
Sheridan's Ride. By Thomas Buchanan Read, dec'd.
J'he Flight of the ·Arrow. By Thomas Buchanan Read, dec'd. ,
Presented by children of the late A. D. Jessup'.
The Delivery to the Secular Arm-a scene from the Spanish Inquisition in Antwerp. By R. ~. Browning, London.
Presented by Mrs. Bloomfield H. Moore. "
A Holiday Occupation. By R. Koehler, Munich.
Presented by Jos. E. Temple.
Off the French Coast-moonlight effect. By W. P. W. Dana, Paris.
Presented· by Atherton Blight.
The Story Teller-Breton interior. By Robert Wylie, 'dec'd.
Presented by J os. E. Temple. .
Stable interior, with cattle and sheep. By Geo. Cole, London.
Presented by childre~l of Thomas Mellor.
*
4
Ten framed drawings for frescoes. Signed M. Knoller, 1744.
Presented by James L. Claghorn.
Medallion head of Christ-electro cast. By George Starkey.
Presented by the S~ulptor.
Bronze Medal.
By W. H. Key.
Presented by J. A. Price.
It will 1?e , seen . from the foregoing list, the important iterr:s of
whi~h are dOllbtless already familiar to you, th~t the comm~nceinent
~f a radical improvement in the Academy's permanent collection,
indicated in the last annual report, has been well maintail~d, and
the prospects for the future are very: encouraging.
In acknowledging the illdebtedness of the Academy to the public- spirited citizens who are thus working for its advancement and the
benefit of the community, it is no more than proper to Gall pal:ticular
attention to the fact that two of the best paintings received during the
year are, respectively, numbers 2 'a nd 3 of the Temple collection.
Mr. Temple has not waited for the specified accumulation of income from his munificent endowment to furnish the means for
making this collection. With added bel~efactions, he has already
commenced to build it up, and is still actively engaged in the good
work.
LIBRARY, PRINT COLLECTION, ETC.
The number .of volumes presented during the year, was 8.
these
2 were received from Mr. Fairman Rogers.
I from Mr. James L. Claghorn.
I
"
Messrs. Gebbie & Co.
I
"
Mr. F. S. Ellis, London.
2
"
H. G. Batterson, D.D.
" Mrs. Louisa Unger.
Of
Four pamphlets also were purchased, ahd a number of others pre'
sented by the fol~owing persons and institutions :_
Messrs. James L. Claghorn.
Fairman Rogers.
Charles Henry Hart.
5
S. R. Koehler; N. Y.
Gaston L. Feuardent, N. Y.
Felix Regamey, Paris.
Art Association of Montreal.
Art Committee, Inter-state Industrial Exposition, Chicago.
Museum of the Fine Arts, Boston.
Providence Art Club.
American Water Color Society, N. Y.
Boston Art Club.
Society of American Artists, N. Y.
National Academy of Design, N. Y.
San Francisco Art Association.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, N. Y.
A,rchreological Institute of America.
Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic ' Association.
Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art.
Exposition de l'Art Ancien, Liege (through Smithsonian Inst.).
EXHIBITIONS.
The exhibition held in November and December, 1881, was
limited to paintings in oil by living American artists. It included
428 works, all entered by the artists--92 of them from Paris, 31
from Munich and Venice, 13 from London, and 292 from Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and other American cities.
This was the second attempt of the Academy to secure a comprehensive representation of the various types of contemporary American
painters; and it is believed that no exhibition has ever done so
in~ch to~ards the accomplishment of this desirable object.
T.he meal}S employed for this purpose are shown by the following
extract from the preface to the catalogue : An exhibition of works by American artists of the present day is
manifestly incomplete without a full representation of those residing
temporarily in Europe. To obtain this involves so much expense
and trouble, that the attempt has not hitherto been made anywhere
on an adequate scale.
Last year, however, the Academy took the first important step in
this direction by "bringing over from Paris a numb~.r of paintings
selected by a committee ~f American artists residing there; and the
great interest manifested in the collection th\ls obtained has impelled
6
the directors to attempt a more comprehensive one for the . present
exhibition.
To Mr. Frank Moss, a Philadelphia artist in Paris, belongs the
honor 'of first suggesting to the Academy the feasibility of such an
undertaking; and the Academy and the community are indebted
to the artists named below fot a hearty co-operation and an influence
among their fellows, without which little could have been accomplished.
PARIS COMMITTEE:F. A. Bridgman,
Chas. Sprague Pearce,
Frank Moss,
Willi~m L. Picknell,
John S. Sargent,
Milne Ramsey,
Ches'ter Loomis,
D. Ridgway Knight,
Ed win H. Blashfield.
(SUPPLEMENTARY JURORS.)
E. L. Weeks,
Walter Blackman,
C. E. Dubois.
MUNICH COMMITTEE:Frank Currier.,
John F. Engel,
R. Gross,
George von Hoesslin,
David Neal,
Toby Rosenthai,
Paul Weber. .
LONDON COMMITTEE:Mrs. Ann Lea Merritt,
Wm.
J.
Hennessy.
This exhibition showed a material improvement over that 'of the
preceding spring,. both In attendance and sales. The numher of
paintings sold was 26, valued at $'9858. This, added to the sales
made from the spring exhibjtion, before reported, makes a total for
the year 1881 of 67 wor}<.s sold, valued at $15,'816.
Among the paintings which found purchasers, two were presented to the Academy,-one by Mr. . Joseph E. Temple, and one '
by Mr. Atherton Blight, as stated in the article on Art P;operty.
This is a new and interesting feature of the exhibitions, the example
for which was set by Mr. Temple in purchasing the fine landscape
by Picknell from the autumn exhibition of 1880. The example is
well worthy of 'imitation by those wealthy and public-spirited citizens who desire to assist in building up a great museum of the fine
7
arts in Philadeiphia. Pictures thus obtained are well authenticated,
the artists are directly encouraged, and the exhibition to which they
contribute will naturally increase in importance.
The experience of the exhibition of which we have been speaking confirmed your Board in the long-entertained opinion referred
to in tlle last report, that the autumn was a more favorable season
than the. spring for collecting pictures from American artists to exhibit in Philadelphia. Consequently it was decided that the regular
annual exhibition should her,eafter be held in the autumn, the spring
being reserved for such special exhibitions as should from time to
tim.e be found practicable.
The first period thus vacated has been most a~ceptably filled by
the exhibition, just closed, of an important collection of paintings
and sculpture representative of contemporary Belgian art. The "Cercle Artistique, Litteraire et Scientifique" of Brussels,
made the first moveme11t towards such an exhibition sev.eral years
ago. Nothing definite was proposed, however, at that time, and
the question was dropped until last year, when it was revived by the
Hon. Edward Seve, Consul-General' of Belgium in the United '
States, and member of the Brussels Society.
A provisional agreement waS signed, allowing the Academy all
the profits of the exhibition, and charging it with no expenses,
except those of conducting it, after the pictures were delivered in
Philadelphia. Before this could be carried into effect, however,
with the Cercle Artistique of Bru~sels, the Government of Belgium,
having assumed all expenses of the enterprise, except those borne
by the Academy above mentioned, appointed a commission of ll1el1',
. eminent in Belgian art circles, to manage all the transactions between the Belgian artists and the ' Academy, and the Society in
Brussels was obliged to leave its projected work to more powerful
hands; though its cordial assistance was proffered.
Mr. Seve, who had returned to Belgium to (orward the arrangements for the exhibition, was made a member of the commission,
and el'\tered ardently into ' the w:ork of interesting the artists, visiting
the different art centres in Belgium for the purpose, and also Paris, I
. where some of the best Belgian artists reside.
The result of this extraordinary. liberality on the part of the Belgian Government, and the earnest work of its representatives in the ~
Directory Commission, was an exhibition of peculiar interest and
importance. Whatever promotes a true . t(j.Ste for art, benefits the
8
community in which it acts, and benefits the artists in that cOl11mu:
nity j and nothing is so effective in this direction as the extension
of our knowledge of t1~e work, of different schools obtained through
study of good examples.
This exhibition, as sh6wn by the catalogue, gave an opportunity
for a fuller and more thorough acq~aintance with one of the most
important schools of art, than has ever before been offered in this
cou'ntry.
It is not possible at this time to make a full report of the exhibition j but it may be said that, in attendance and in sales, there is
evidence of that steady increase of interest in the Academy exhibition
which has been for some time noticed,-the sales up to the present
amounting to over $23,000,* with several offers yet under considera'tion.
It is to be regretted, however, that the increase of interest in the
exhibitions is not commensurate with the earnest and successful
efforts that have been made to increase their attractiveness and theil,"
usefulness. For the last two years the Academy can certainly claim
to have shown rnore enterprise and a broader policy in pr.oviding
exhibitions than any other art institution in this country j and the
resultant collections have, been 'o f proportionate value; but the
public encouragement to continue the work is less than that given '
in any other large city.
This is singular, when we consider the extent and character of our
population, and the established fact that a good periodical exhibition
adds materially to the commercial and social standing of a community.
The one thoroughly successful feature of the Academy' exhibitions
is the weekly promenade concert given in the galleries by the Germania Orchestra, started in the spring of 1879, to draw attention to
the pictures. The object aimed at has certainly been accomplished
in a measure; but the concerts have meanwhile acquired an independent importance that is especially noticeable. It is a source of
satisfaction that this enterprise, at first attended with much difficulty
and discouragement, has, by universal admission, done so much for
musical culture in the city. Important improvements are proposed
for the fifth series of these concpts, which will probably be commenced the last Thursday in October.
*
Since increased to $32,632
00.
9
..
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
,
The working of this department during the past season shows no
. material change. The following tables give the main points of it
that ar~ capable of statistical representation.
Number of students Feb. I, I882.
Male students .
Female "
Total
I
Lift·
Antique.
8I
72
36
I9
II7
I53
55
208
9I
. Of these, I I8 were regular attendal1ts; 8 I in the Life. Class, and
37 in the Antique.
The whole number of students registered during the season was
235, of whom I29 were men, and I06 women.
The Circular for the coming season, just issued, shows certain
important changes.
The financial condition of the Academy having made it- necessary
that the schools should be self-supporting, a moderate charge for the
instruction and opportunities offered ,villllereafter be made, according to the following table:For the season of eight. months, induding all
. privileges
For ·one month, same privileges
For one month, Antique Class, day and night
"
"
Night Life Class .
.
$48 00
8 00
4 00
4 00
Fees are payable in advance. A Season Ticket may be paid
for in six monthly instalments of eight dollars, or in one payment
of $48, at the pleasure of the student.
A considerable portion of the receipts obtained under the new
system, will be devoted to improving the efficiency of the schools.
In connection with the School Department, we have the pleasure '
to report an endowment of $8000, now invested in Lehigh Valley
R. R. 7 per cent. bonds, as a foundation for
10
THE CHARLES TOPP AN PRIZE.
This prize, established in 1881, by the gift of Mrs. Charles
Toppan, Miss Harriette R. ' Toppan, and Mr. Robert N. Toppan,
will be awarded, for the first time, at the autumn exhibition 'o f
the Academy in October, 1882. The conditions are as follows:At each Annual Exhibition of the Pennsylvania Academy of
the Fine Arts, two prizes, one of Two Hundred dollars, and one
of One Hundred dollars, shall be awarded by the Committee on
Instruction, or such other Committee as may be appointed by
the Board, for the two best pictures by students of the Academy
who have worked regularly in.' its schools for at least two years;
provided, however, that there shall be no obligation to award a
prize to any wQrk which is not, in the opinion of the Comm,ittee,
of sufficient merit.
The pictures submitted may be either in oil or water color, and
must be entered in the usual way for the Annual ~xhibition, with
the additional note that they are in competition for this prize.
They may be either figure pieces, landscapes, cattle pieces, or
marines.
The competition is not extended to sculpture.
According to the positively expressed terms of , the gift, the
drmving of the pictures will ,receive the first attention of the examiners, that work which shows the most accurate drawing receiving
'
the preference.
The prizes will be' awarded ?-s soon after the opening of the
exhibition as is convenient, and the pictures receiving them will
be appropriately marked.
In any case of uncertainty as to the right of a competitor to be
considered a student, the decision of the Board of Directors upon
a report from the Committee on Instruction shall be final.
STATEMENT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS, JANUARY I, 1882.
CR.
DR .
Cash
$12,287 65 Capital Stock
Ground Rent 1430 Penn Square
30,000 00 Surplus Capital
Real E state Broad and Cherry Streets
478,009 18 Old Stock
Mortgage Broad and Cherry Streets
Art Property
}
Library Properly
213,117 67 Loans Payable
School Property
T emple Trust Fund
Loans R eceivable
433 95 I Phillips Bequest .
Penna. Academy of Fine Arls 6 per cent. Bonds (held
Charles Toppan Prize Fund
by Temple Trust Fund)
55,000 00 I Mary Smith Prize Fund
T emple Trust Fund Income Account
250 00 Students' Deposit Fund
L ehi gh Valley Railroarl 7 per cent. Bonels (held for
Sales Fall 1881
Charles Toppan Prize) . .
8,000 00
Penna. 5 per cent. S late L oan (held for Mary Smith
P ri ze ) .
2,000 00
A rkansas Valley R ailway Bonds
6,000 00
Duties Fall 1880
78 15
Dulies Fall IS81
711 94
$ 80 5'?88 54
$429,600
181,3 0 7
13,325
96,000
4,000
55,000
12,000
8,000
2,000
550
4, 10 5
00
98
00
00 .
00
00
00
00
00
00
56
$ 80 5,888 54
ANNU'AL REPORT
OF THE
PENNSYLVANIA AC'ADE·MY
OF THE
FINE ARTS
FOR
1881-82.
PHILADELPHIA:
COLLINS', PRINTER, 705 lAYNE STREET.
1882.
I
OFFICERS OF THE ACADEMY.
Presidmt.
JAMES L. CLAGHORN.
Directors.
GEORGE S. PEPPER,
HENRY C. GIBSON,
FAIRMAN ROGERS,
CLARENCE H. CLARK,
WILLIAM B. BEMENT,
JOSEPH W. BATES,
WILLIAM S. BAKER,
EDWARD H. COATES,
ATHERTON BLIGHT,
JAMES S. MARTIN,
E. BURGESS WARREN,
CHARLES HENRY HART:
Committee on A cade1'lzy Property.
HENRY C. GIBSON,
GEORGE S. PEPPER,
CLARENCE H. CLAR.K,
EDWARD H. COATES,
WILLIAM B. BEMENT.
Committee on Finance.
ATHERTON BLIGHT.
Committee on h zstrztction.
FAIRMAN ROGERS,
WM: S. BAKER,
JOSEPH W. BATES,
EDWARD H. COATES.
Committee on Exhibitions.
GEORGE S. PEPPER,
WILLIAM B. BEMENT,
JOSEPH W. BATES,
JAMES S. MARTIN.
Treaszwtr
EDWARD H . COATES.
Secretary
GEORGE CORLISS.
Cumtor o/the School and Librarian
H. C. WHIPPLE.
SCHOOL DEPARTM ENT.
Director of School
THO MAS EAKINS.
Pl'oftssor of AI'tistic Anatomy
W. W. KEEN, M.D .
Assistant Professor of P ainting and DrmIJing
THOMAS ANSHUTZ.
De1Jl0Izstrat01' of Anatomy
JOHN WALLACE.
.
Correspondence on matters connected with the school should be addressed
. to Mr. H. C.
WHIPPLE,
Curatol'o
t 6TH
,ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
PENNSYLVANIA ACkDEMY OF THE
FINE ARTS
FOR 1881-82.
The Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine
Arts respectfully submits to the Stockholders the following report. f6r
the past year-commencing, as usual, with a statemen,t of additiQns
~~
.
,
"
ART ,PROPERT.Y.
Since the last report, the following works of art have been added'
to the permanent collection of the Academy by the generosity
its friends:- '
of
Sheridan's Ride. By Thomas Buchanan Read, dec'd.
J'he Flight of the ·Arrow. By Thomas Buchanan Read, dec'd. ,
Presented by children of the late A. D. Jessup'.
The Delivery to the Secular Arm-a scene from the Spanish Inquisition in Antwerp. By R. ~. Browning, London.
Presented by Mrs. Bloomfield H. Moore. "
A Holiday Occupation. By R. Koehler, Munich.
Presented by Jos. E. Temple.
Off the French Coast-moonlight effect. By W. P. W. Dana, Paris.
Presented· by Atherton Blight.
The Story Teller-Breton interior. By Robert Wylie, 'dec'd.
Presented by J os. E. Temple. .
Stable interior, with cattle and sheep. By Geo. Cole, London.
Presented by childre~l of Thomas Mellor.
*
4
Ten framed drawings for frescoes. Signed M. Knoller, 1744.
Presented by James L. Claghorn.
Medallion head of Christ-electro cast. By George Starkey.
Presented by the S~ulptor.
Bronze Medal.
By W. H. Key.
Presented by J. A. Price.
It will 1?e , seen . from the foregoing list, the important iterr:s of
whi~h are dOllbtless already familiar to you, th~t the comm~nceinent
~f a radical improvement in the Academy's permanent collection,
indicated in the last annual report, has been well maintail~d, and
the prospects for the future are very: encouraging.
In acknowledging the illdebtedness of the Academy to the public- spirited citizens who are thus working for its advancement and the
benefit of the community, it is no more than proper to Gall pal:ticular
attention to the fact that two of the best paintings received during the
year are, respectively, numbers 2 'a nd 3 of the Temple collection.
Mr. Temple has not waited for the specified accumulation of income from his munificent endowment to furnish the means for
making this collection. With added bel~efactions, he has already
commenced to build it up, and is still actively engaged in the good
work.
LIBRARY, PRINT COLLECTION, ETC.
The number .of volumes presented during the year, was 8.
these
2 were received from Mr. Fairman Rogers.
I from Mr. James L. Claghorn.
I
"
Messrs. Gebbie & Co.
I
"
Mr. F. S. Ellis, London.
2
"
H. G. Batterson, D.D.
" Mrs. Louisa Unger.
Of
Four pamphlets also were purchased, ahd a number of others pre'
sented by the fol~owing persons and institutions :_
Messrs. James L. Claghorn.
Fairman Rogers.
Charles Henry Hart.
5
S. R. Koehler; N. Y.
Gaston L. Feuardent, N. Y.
Felix Regamey, Paris.
Art Association of Montreal.
Art Committee, Inter-state Industrial Exposition, Chicago.
Museum of the Fine Arts, Boston.
Providence Art Club.
American Water Color Society, N. Y.
Boston Art Club.
Society of American Artists, N. Y.
National Academy of Design, N. Y.
San Francisco Art Association.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, N. Y.
A,rchreological Institute of America.
Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic ' Association.
Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art.
Exposition de l'Art Ancien, Liege (through Smithsonian Inst.).
EXHIBITIONS.
The exhibition held in November and December, 1881, was
limited to paintings in oil by living American artists. It included
428 works, all entered by the artists--92 of them from Paris, 31
from Munich and Venice, 13 from London, and 292 from Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and other American cities.
This was the second attempt of the Academy to secure a comprehensive representation of the various types of contemporary American
painters; and it is believed that no exhibition has ever done so
in~ch to~ards the accomplishment of this desirable object.
T.he meal}S employed for this purpose are shown by the following
extract from the preface to the catalogue : An exhibition of works by American artists of the present day is
manifestly incomplete without a full representation of those residing
temporarily in Europe. To obtain this involves so much expense
and trouble, that the attempt has not hitherto been made anywhere
on an adequate scale.
Last year, however, the Academy took the first important step in
this direction by "bringing over from Paris a numb~.r of paintings
selected by a committee ~f American artists residing there; and the
great interest manifested in the collection th\ls obtained has impelled
6
the directors to attempt a more comprehensive one for the . present
exhibition.
To Mr. Frank Moss, a Philadelphia artist in Paris, belongs the
honor 'of first suggesting to the Academy the feasibility of such an
undertaking; and the Academy and the community are indebted
to the artists named below fot a hearty co-operation and an influence
among their fellows, without which little could have been accomplished.
PARIS COMMITTEE:F. A. Bridgman,
Chas. Sprague Pearce,
Frank Moss,
Willi~m L. Picknell,
John S. Sargent,
Milne Ramsey,
Ches'ter Loomis,
D. Ridgway Knight,
Ed win H. Blashfield.
(SUPPLEMENTARY JURORS.)
E. L. Weeks,
Walter Blackman,
C. E. Dubois.
MUNICH COMMITTEE:Frank Currier.,
John F. Engel,
R. Gross,
George von Hoesslin,
David Neal,
Toby Rosenthai,
Paul Weber. .
LONDON COMMITTEE:Mrs. Ann Lea Merritt,
Wm.
J.
Hennessy.
This exhibition showed a material improvement over that 'of the
preceding spring,. both In attendance and sales. The numher of
paintings sold was 26, valued at $'9858. This, added to the sales
made from the spring exhibjtion, before reported, makes a total for
the year 1881 of 67 wor}<.s sold, valued at $15,'816.
Among the paintings which found purchasers, two were presented to the Academy,-one by Mr. . Joseph E. Temple, and one '
by Mr. Atherton Blight, as stated in the article on Art P;operty.
This is a new and interesting feature of the exhibitions, the example
for which was set by Mr. Temple in purchasing the fine landscape
by Picknell from the autumn exhibition of 1880. The example is
well worthy of 'imitation by those wealthy and public-spirited citizens who desire to assist in building up a great museum of the fine
7
arts in Philadeiphia. Pictures thus obtained are well authenticated,
the artists are directly encouraged, and the exhibition to which they
contribute will naturally increase in importance.
The experience of the exhibition of which we have been speaking confirmed your Board in the long-entertained opinion referred
to in tlle last report, that the autumn was a more favorable season
than the. spring for collecting pictures from American artists to exhibit in Philadelphia. Consequently it was decided that the regular
annual exhibition should her,eafter be held in the autumn, the spring
being reserved for such special exhibitions as should from time to
tim.e be found practicable.
The first period thus vacated has been most a~ceptably filled by
the exhibition, just closed, of an important collection of paintings
and sculpture representative of contemporary Belgian art. The "Cercle Artistique, Litteraire et Scientifique" of Brussels,
made the first moveme11t towards such an exhibition sev.eral years
ago. Nothing definite was proposed, however, at that time, and
the question was dropped until last year, when it was revived by the
Hon. Edward Seve, Consul-General' of Belgium in the United '
States, and member of the Brussels Society.
A provisional agreement waS signed, allowing the Academy all
the profits of the exhibition, and charging it with no expenses,
except those of conducting it, after the pictures were delivered in
Philadelphia. Before this could be carried into effect, however,
with the Cercle Artistique of Bru~sels, the Government of Belgium,
having assumed all expenses of the enterprise, except those borne
by the Academy above mentioned, appointed a commission of ll1el1',
. eminent in Belgian art circles, to manage all the transactions between the Belgian artists and the ' Academy, and the Society in
Brussels was obliged to leave its projected work to more powerful
hands; though its cordial assistance was proffered.
Mr. Seve, who had returned to Belgium to (orward the arrangements for the exhibition, was made a member of the commission,
and el'\tered ardently into ' the w:ork of interesting the artists, visiting
the different art centres in Belgium for the purpose, and also Paris, I
. where some of the best Belgian artists reside.
The result of this extraordinary. liberality on the part of the Belgian Government, and the earnest work of its representatives in the ~
Directory Commission, was an exhibition of peculiar interest and
importance. Whatever promotes a true . t(j.Ste for art, benefits the
8
community in which it acts, and benefits the artists in that cOl11mu:
nity j and nothing is so effective in this direction as the extension
of our knowledge of t1~e work, of different schools obtained through
study of good examples.
This exhibition, as sh6wn by the catalogue, gave an opportunity
for a fuller and more thorough acq~aintance with one of the most
important schools of art, than has ever before been offered in this
cou'ntry.
It is not possible at this time to make a full report of the exhibition j but it may be said that, in attendance and in sales, there is
evidence of that steady increase of interest in the Academy exhibition
which has been for some time noticed,-the sales up to the present
amounting to over $23,000,* with several offers yet under considera'tion.
It is to be regretted, however, that the increase of interest in the
exhibitions is not commensurate with the earnest and successful
efforts that have been made to increase their attractiveness and theil,"
usefulness. For the last two years the Academy can certainly claim
to have shown rnore enterprise and a broader policy in pr.oviding
exhibitions than any other art institution in this country j and the
resultant collections have, been 'o f proportionate value; but the
public encouragement to continue the work is less than that given '
in any other large city.
This is singular, when we consider the extent and character of our
population, and the established fact that a good periodical exhibition
adds materially to the commercial and social standing of a community.
The one thoroughly successful feature of the Academy' exhibitions
is the weekly promenade concert given in the galleries by the Germania Orchestra, started in the spring of 1879, to draw attention to
the pictures. The object aimed at has certainly been accomplished
in a measure; but the concerts have meanwhile acquired an independent importance that is especially noticeable. It is a source of
satisfaction that this enterprise, at first attended with much difficulty
and discouragement, has, by universal admission, done so much for
musical culture in the city. Important improvements are proposed
for the fifth series of these concpts, which will probably be commenced the last Thursday in October.
*
Since increased to $32,632
00.
9
..
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
,
The working of this department during the past season shows no
. material change. The following tables give the main points of it
that ar~ capable of statistical representation.
Number of students Feb. I, I882.
Male students .
Female "
Total
I
Lift·
Antique.
8I
72
36
I9
II7
I53
55
208
9I
. Of these, I I8 were regular attendal1ts; 8 I in the Life. Class, and
37 in the Antique.
The whole number of students registered during the season was
235, of whom I29 were men, and I06 women.
The Circular for the coming season, just issued, shows certain
important changes.
The financial condition of the Academy having made it- necessary
that the schools should be self-supporting, a moderate charge for the
instruction and opportunities offered ,villllereafter be made, according to the following table:For the season of eight. months, induding all
. privileges
For ·one month, same privileges
For one month, Antique Class, day and night
"
"
Night Life Class .
.
$48 00
8 00
4 00
4 00
Fees are payable in advance. A Season Ticket may be paid
for in six monthly instalments of eight dollars, or in one payment
of $48, at the pleasure of the student.
A considerable portion of the receipts obtained under the new
system, will be devoted to improving the efficiency of the schools.
In connection with the School Department, we have the pleasure '
to report an endowment of $8000, now invested in Lehigh Valley
R. R. 7 per cent. bonds, as a foundation for
10
THE CHARLES TOPP AN PRIZE.
This prize, established in 1881, by the gift of Mrs. Charles
Toppan, Miss Harriette R. ' Toppan, and Mr. Robert N. Toppan,
will be awarded, for the first time, at the autumn exhibition 'o f
the Academy in October, 1882. The conditions are as follows:At each Annual Exhibition of the Pennsylvania Academy of
the Fine Arts, two prizes, one of Two Hundred dollars, and one
of One Hundred dollars, shall be awarded by the Committee on
Instruction, or such other Committee as may be appointed by
the Board, for the two best pictures by students of the Academy
who have worked regularly in.' its schools for at least two years;
provided, however, that there shall be no obligation to award a
prize to any wQrk which is not, in the opinion of the Comm,ittee,
of sufficient merit.
The pictures submitted may be either in oil or water color, and
must be entered in the usual way for the Annual ~xhibition, with
the additional note that they are in competition for this prize.
They may be either figure pieces, landscapes, cattle pieces, or
marines.
The competition is not extended to sculpture.
According to the positively expressed terms of , the gift, the
drmving of the pictures will ,receive the first attention of the examiners, that work which shows the most accurate drawing receiving
'
the preference.
The prizes will be' awarded ?-s soon after the opening of the
exhibition as is convenient, and the pictures receiving them will
be appropriately marked.
In any case of uncertainty as to the right of a competitor to be
considered a student, the decision of the Board of Directors upon
a report from the Committee on Instruction shall be final.
STATEMENT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS, JANUARY I, 1882.
CR.
DR .
Cash
$12,287 65 Capital Stock
Ground Rent 1430 Penn Square
30,000 00 Surplus Capital
Real E state Broad and Cherry Streets
478,009 18 Old Stock
Mortgage Broad and Cherry Streets
Art Property
}
Library Properly
213,117 67 Loans Payable
School Property
T emple Trust Fund
Loans R eceivable
433 95 I Phillips Bequest .
Penna. Academy of Fine Arls 6 per cent. Bonds (held
Charles Toppan Prize Fund
by Temple Trust Fund)
55,000 00 I Mary Smith Prize Fund
T emple Trust Fund Income Account
250 00 Students' Deposit Fund
L ehi gh Valley Railroarl 7 per cent. Bonels (held for
Sales Fall 1881
Charles Toppan Prize) . .
8,000 00
Penna. 5 per cent. S late L oan (held for Mary Smith
P ri ze ) .
2,000 00
A rkansas Valley R ailway Bonds
6,000 00
Duties Fall 1880
78 15
Dulies Fall IS81
711 94
$ 80 5'?88 54
$429,600
181,3 0 7
13,325
96,000
4,000
55,000
12,000
8,000
2,000
550
4, 10 5
00
98
00
00 .
00
00
00
00
00
00
56
$ 80 5,888 54