109th Annual Report for the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Item
Title
109th Annual Report for the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Identifier
1915-AR.pdf
Date
1915
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
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extracted text
PENNSYLVANIA ' ACADEMY
. ,OF THE FINE ARTS
. I
A .BRIEF STATEMENT
MANAGEMENT OF
' T HE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE
FINE ARTS
PRESIDENT
JOHN FREDERICK LEW1S
VICE-PRESIDENT
CLEMENT B. NEWBOLD
HONORARY VICE-PRESID E NT
E. BURGESS· WARREN
DIRECTORS
THEOPHILUS P. CHANDLER
ALFRED C . HARRISON
HERBERT M. HOWE, M.D.
CLARENCE C. ZANTZfNGEK
GEORGE H. McFADDEN
T. DEWITT CUYLER
CLEMENT B. NEWBOLD
CHARLEMAGNE TOWEK
EDWARD T. STOTESBURY
ARTHUR H. LEA
THEODORE N. ELY
JOSEPH E. WIDENER
FRANK H. CAVEN
TREASURER
GEORGE H : McFADDEN
SI<:CRETARY
JOHN ANDREW MYERS
HONO R AkY CURATOR O F Pl<I" T S
SARAH MINIS HAYS
CURATOR OF THE SCHOOLS
ANNA T. BENNETT
CURATOR OF PAINTIN G S
GILBERT S. PARKER
SOLICITOR
JOHN G . JOHNSON
I ,
THE .PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY
OF THE FINE ARTS
PHILADELPHIA, January 1St, 19 1 S.
The President and Directors have the' honor to .submit the
report of their stewardship for the past year.
We are gratified at being able, to say that, with the exception of
the interference caused by the present wretched European war, the
work of the year has been pre-eminently successful.
,
.
THE COMING ANNUAL EXHIBITION
The -I I~th Annual Exhibition of Oil Painting and Sculptur~ will
open to' the public Sunday, February 7th, I9iS, and close Sunday,
March 28th.
The Press View and Varnishing Day will be Saturday, February
6th, from '10.00 A.M. until. 4.00 P.M.
The Reception and Private View will be held the same evening
at 8.30 o'clock.
"
An Artists' Evening, intended especially to bring artists in contact with the students of the School and with the public to their
mutua} advantage, will be held Saturday evening, February 13th,
19 IS, at 8.30 o'clock, to which you are cordially invited. Upon ,this
occasion you can meet artists under less crowded conditions than
, at the Reception and Private View, arrd if you desire to purchase
pictures or give commissions for portraits, you may have the opportunity easily afforded you. '
The Annual Exhibition of Oil Painting and Sculpture will
consist of original works by American artists not publ~~ly shown
before in Philadelphia. It is limited to the works of -American ,
artists, -because, even with such limitation, the field covered is so
large that it is not reasonably possible to exhibit the works of foreign
-artists at the same time except by excl t1 ding many worthy works
by Americans, and also because the chief 'o bject of The Academy,
as stated in its ancient charter, is "promoting the cultivation of the
Fine Arts in this country."
.
The Exhibition is essentially national in scope, including works
from all over the country and even from Americarr artists living
abroad. Every work is submitted to a Jury composed of well,
[3]
known artists, who pass upon it without dictation or interference
from the management of The Academy. The action of the Jury
is final and every work exhibited is hung by a Hanging Committee
of artists. The Exhibition therefore illustrates, as it is intended to
do, the highest standard of American art as judged and hung by
American artists themselves.
The Jury meets in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. Special
juries meet in Chicago and St. Louis, and also in Paris, but on
account of the present disturbed condition of European affairs,
the selection of works in Europe by a jury this year was rendered
impracticable, and the management of The Academy was compelled
to- request American artists working in Eur:ope to submit their
work direct to the Jury in Philadelphia.
Almost all the works entered for exhibition are for sale, and at
studio prices, by which is meant a price direct from the artist to
the purchaser. We suggest that you can make your art purchases
direct from The Academy's Exhibitions, with great advantage to
yourself and to the exhibiting artists, and have the added advantage
of acquiring a work which has been formally approved by the verdict _
of The Academy's Jury and given the prestige of having been
exhibited in The Academy's Galleries.
A competent agent is present at all times during the Exhibition
to advise and assist purchasers.
The Jury of Selection for the coming Exhibition is as follows:
PAINTING
HUGH H. BRECKENRIDGE, Chairman
FRANK W. BENSON WILLIAM M. CHASE
W. L. LATHROP
ADOLPHE BORIE
COLIN -CAMPBELL COOPER IRVING R. WILES
ARTHUR B. CARLES CHILDE HASSAM
JULIUS STEWART
CHARLES H. WOODBURY
CHARLES. G RAFL Y
SCULPTURE
ALBERT LAESSLE
LINDSAY MORRIS STERLING
HANGING COMMITTEE
HUGH H. BRECKENRIDGE
CHARLES GRAFL Y
ADOLPHE BORIE
CHARLES H. WOODBURY
There are various medals or awards which are given to exhibiting
artists ot to their work. Some are awarded by the Board of Directors
ana some by the Jury, and for those awarded by the Jury the
members of the Jury are of course ineligible.
The Gold Medal -of Honor is awarded at the discretion of the
Directors of The Academy to American Painters or Sculptors who
may be exhibitors at The Academy or represented in the permanent
[5]
collection. It is -probably the most coveted of all the awards,
because it is given to artists "in recognition of high achievement
in their profession, or who, for eminent services in the cause of
art or to the Academy, have merited the distinction."
The late Joseph E. Temple created a fund to be used for the
purchase of works of art and, for the awarding of medals. The
Temple Gold Medal is awarded by the Painters' Jury "for the best
picture painted in oil without regard to subject." .
The Walter Lippincott Prize, with an option on the part of the
founder to purchase the chosen painting for the price at which it is
entered, is awarded by the Committee on Exhibition for "the best
figure piece paiiJ.ted in oil by an American citizen and which is for
sale."
The Mary Smith Prize, also de'c ided by theCominittee on Exhibition, is awarded" to the Painter of the best painting (not excluding
portraits) exhibiting at the Academy, painted by a woman artist
resident in Philadelphia, for qualities ranking as follows: 1st,
Qriginality of Subject; 2d, Beauty of Design or Drawmg; 3d, Color
and Effect; and, lastly, Execution."
The Jennie Sesnan Gold Medal is awarded by the Painters'
Jury" for the best landscape' in the Exhibition."
The Beck Gold Medal is similarly awarded "to the best portrait
in_oil in the Exhibition, and which has been completed within three
years."
Through the generosity of Edward Bok, a new award is offered
this year called the Phil9-delphia Prize, for the painting which
visitors to the Exhibition select as their choice. The object of the
award is to encourage the public to look at the pictures with increased personal interest . and discrimination. During the week
beginning March 7th every person visiting the Galleries will be
entitled to cast one vote "for the picture he likes best."
The George D. Widener Memorial Gold Medal, established by
the Board of Directors in memory of their fellow member, George D.
Widener, who was lost on the steamship "Titanic," is awarded by
the Sculptors' Jury "to the most meritorious work in Sculpture
modeled by an American citizen, and shown in the Exhibition."
Under the will of the late John Lambert, who was a former
student of The Academy, a trust fund is established for the purchase
,of pictures from The Academy's Annual Exhibition, and this, together with the Temple Fund, are the only trust moneys belonging
to The Academy for the express purpose of making purchases.
It is needless to say that the fu,nds thus available ought to be -largely
increased so that our already notable collection of works by American
artists, regarded by many as the foremost of ifs kind, may be constantlyenriched by the best examples of ~he day, and by adequate
payment therefor American artists and sculptors encouraged in
their .efforts to keep A!p.eri~an art at the highest standard. These
[6]
funds are to be used only f01; the purchase of pictures out of the _
Annual Exhibitions. Funds are therefore needed for the purchase
of pictures generally, whether by American or foreign artists. A
splendid opportunity presents itself for establishing a memorial,
by the purchase of one picture for The Academy's Permanent
Collection, or the establishment of a fund the principal of which
shall be kept intact, _and the income only used for the purchase 6f
pictures.
THE WORK OF THE PAST YEAR
During the year 1914 the Galleries of The Academy have been
open to the-public daily, including Sundays, and were visited by the
grand total of 179,168 persons, an increase of s,8IJover the total
attendance in 1913. The Permanent Collection, the Annual Exhibitions, the Special Exhibitions, and the Print Collection have all
been t he means of educating the public in a knowledge of art.
.
In addition to The Academy's Permanent Exhibition of Painting
and Sculpture, there were held during the past year the following: The I09th Annual Exhibition -of Oil Painting and -Sculpture,
composed of 330 paintings and 189 sculptures, representing 284
exhibiting artists.
The Annual Water Color Exhibition, in collaboration with the
Philadelphia Water Color Club, composed of 718 paintings, representing 241 exhibiting artists.
The Annual Exhibition of Miniatures, in collaboration with the
Pennsylvania Society of Miniature Painters, composed of 103 examples, representing 62 -exhibiting artists.
A Retrospective Exhibition of the Paintings of Alexander Harrison and Birge Harrison, composed of 83 examples by the former
and 3S by the latter.
An Exhibition of Paintings by contemporary Spanish artists,
composed of 66 examples, and which was of special interest as
representing the best Spanish art of the day.
In connection with the-I09th Annual Exhibition the Management
reports the following awards:
The Temple Gold Medal to W. Elmer Schofield for his work entitled "The Hill Country."
The Jennie Sesnan Gold Medal to Robert Spencer for his
"Five O'Clock: June."
The Carol H. Beck Gold Medal to Robert Henri for his work
en titled "Herself."
The Walter Lippincott Prize to M. Jean McLane for her "Virginia and Stanton Arnold."
The Mary Smith Prize to Nina B. Ward for her work entitled
" Elizabeth."
The George D. Widener Memorial Gold Medal to Paul Manship
for-his" Duck Girl: Fountain."
We are pleased t9 record that Mr. Manship's beautiful and classic
work has been purchased by the Fairmount Park 'Art Association.
We congratulate him as one of our former students, and the
Association in acquiring fbr our Philadelphia public this notable
work.
.
Re.ferring to this Exhibition, Mr. W. H. deB~ Nelson, in the
International Studio, for March, 1914, published a review entitled
"Pennsylvania Pre-eminent," in which he says: "It is so customary
to chronicle a good show, as to make it unnecessary to state that
this year proves no exception. One may go further, and say that
it is by general acclaim the best Exhibition as yet held in Philadelphia."
.
During the lo9th Annual Exhibition 61,246 peopie visited the
Galleries, the largest attendance on anyone day being 6,417, which
was on Sunday, the fifteenth day of March, 1914.
We are pleased to report that 29 paintings were sold, and 31
sculptures, making a total of 60 works, for which there was realized
for artists the sum of $2S,22 I.2s-the largest number of works ever
sold at an Annual Exhibition held at The Academy, and the largest
amount in money ever realized thereat.
NEW ACQ.UISITIONS
From the lo9th Annual Exhibition, the following pictures were
purchased:
.
With the Temple Fund:
"The Blue Gulf 'Stream," by Frederick J. Waugh.
"Quebec," by Everett L. Warner.
"Rocks and Breakers: California," by William RitscheL
With the John Lamoert Fund:
'.'The Fisherman," by John R. Conner.
"Apennine Village," by Marie Haughton Spaeth.
"Rose Color; Scarlet and Black," by F. G. Carpenter.
"Sketch: The Little Market, Baveno;" by Gertrude A. Lambert.
"Calendula and Aster," by Maud Drein Bryant.
"Sunshine on St. I ves: Corn wall," by Hayley Lever.
"The Pile Driver," by 'George H. Macrum.
Among 'other important acquisitions to ' the Permanent Collection of The Ac;:ademYi the following are noted:
Portrait of Henry Thouron by John McClure Hamilton, presented by the painter.
Portrait of Adolph Ulrich Wertmuller by the artist himself,
purchased with the Gilpin Fund. Wertmuller was a native of
Sweden, but he worked in this country in Colonial times and painted,
in addition to those of other 'n oted men, the portrait of Washington.
Portrait of James McNeil Whistler painted by Walter Graves,
purchased with the Gilpin Fund.
[8]
· f,.'
These three portraits will be added to the collection which The
Academy is making of portraits of American artists or of foreign
artists who worked in this country. .
A portrait bust in bronze of Joseph Price, M.D., by Charles
Grafly , presented by Mrs. Joseph Price.
A bronze medal of Cardinal Gibbons, by J. Maxwell Miller,
presented by Michael J enkins.
A miniature portrait of Manuel Phillips, M.D., Surgeon in the
United States Navy, presented by J. Bunford Samuel.
The remnant of an early Academy poster, dated May · 26th ,
I8IS, was presented by H. G. R eagan.
f.·
THE
PENNSYLVANIA
ACADEMY
The Library of The Academy has been increased by books
presented by the following: . Mrs. Samuel F. Houston, Mr. Theophilus P. Chandler, Miss Violet Oakley, Mr. Mantle Fielding, and
Mr. John R eid.
THE PRINT COLLECTION
A special exhibition was made from October 31, 1913, to March
IS, 1914, of the Etchings of R embrandt and of the Line Engravings,
Etchings and Wood-cuts of Albert Durer, from the splendid examples
in the collection belonging to The Academy. Another special exhibition of engravings is, at the date of this writing, now being shown
in the galleries. It is intended to represent the different methods
of engravers and consists of selected examples' of wood-cuts and
wood-engravings, line engravings, mezzo-tints, etchings, stipples,
. [9]
1
f
lithographs, and color.. prints. The prints were selected and ar-·
ranged- by Miss Sarah Minis Hays, Honorary Curator of Prints.
It is not generally known and appreciated that The Academy .
possesse~ ·o ne of the largest and most valuable collections of engravings in America. Its foundation was laid by the late John S.Phillips,
who not only bequeathed to The Academy in 1876 his entire collection, the result of many years of self~sacrificing devotion in searching Europe and America for the best examples of the art of engraving, but who bequeathed also a fund to be used for the care and
enrichment - of the cabinet. Many others have since presented
prints to The Academy, so that at the present time we own a total
of probably 60,000 prints, line engravings, mezzotints, etchings,
wood-cuts and lithographs, a truly monumental collection ·and one
which it would be practically impossible to duplicate. Nevertheless,
there are indeed many prints which we still lack and, ought tohavt:
and this especially in mezzotints, in eighteenth century color prints,
and in modern etchings, and_ the Cura~or will be glad to accept
prints for the Collection, 6r funds "with whi<;:h to purchase them.
Quite a number of prints have been added to the Collection
during the past year. Probably the most notable were two line
engravings by Robert Nanteuil, both portraits of Pomponne de
Bellievre, and many m ezzotints from the rocker of the late John
Sartain. A special effort is now being made to form a complete
collection of the work of Sartain who was intimately identified with
the history of art in Philadelphia, was for eleven years the Secretary
of The Academy, and who really introduced the art of mezzotinting
into America.
Our whole Collection is being re-mounted on uniform mouhts
which will make the pripts easier to exhibit, to arrange and to catalogue. Under the superintendence of the Curator, over five thousand
prints have already been re-mounted, and it may be of interest to
state that the method adopted is in accordance with the most
modern practice of print collectors. Each print is suspended from
the top by a light paper hinge and then laid in a countersunk mount
which prevents it from being injured or rubbed. The cardboard for
the mount has been selected, after consultation with the curators
of other public collections,and has been especially tested by an
analytical chemist and found free from acids or other harmful
substances which might injure the prints.
THE ·A CADEMY'S SCHOOLS
Probably at no time in the history of The Academy have its
schools been in more flourishing conditiori. One hundred and nine .
new students have been admitted, a total far surpassing any previous
anilUal record. The total enrollment now amounts to 269, and it is
indeed gratifying to observe thCJt the students come to us not only
from J::>ennsylvania but also from all over the United S~ates, from
[10]
Canada and even from China. Besides being the oldest school in
America devoted exclusively to the cultivation of the Fine Arts,
we believe that it is now the largest, and we congratulate the Faculty
and students for the splendid reputation they have given the Schad
and for the high standard it has reached and maintains.
[II]
During the hundred years and more of its existence it has helped
to train many artists whose names are illustrious upon the pages
of American art, not only painters-figure, landscape, and marine-but mural decorators, illustrators, and sculptors of national
reputation, are found upon its register, so that the history of the
School is in no small measure the history of American art itself.
The School is directly under the care of the Committee on Instruction, appointed by the President from the Board of Directors,
and the Faculty is composed of men of wide experience as teachers,
and eminently qualified, from their knowledge of art, to develop
such talent as our students may possess and thus enable them to
make the world more beautiful and their fellow-men happier wit h
nobler tastes and aspirations.
The Faculty is composed as follows:
Herbert M . Howe, M.D., Chairman of the Committee on
Instruction, is Chairman of the Faculty, ex officio .
Charles Grafiy, Instructor in Sculpture;
Hugh H. Breckenridge, Instructor in Drawing and Painting,
especially Portraiture and Still life ;
Cecilia Beaux, Instructor in Drawing and Painting, especially
Portraiture;
Henry McCarter, Instructor in Illustration;
Joseph T. Pearson, Jr., Instructor in Composition and in Drawing and Painting, especially from the life;
Frank Miles Day , Instructor in Perspective;
Daniel Garber, Instructor in Drawing and Painting ;
[12J
SOME WORK IN COMPETITION FOR CRESSON TRAVELLING SCHOLARSHIPS, 191 4
Violet Oakley, Instructor in Design;
Phillip L. Hale, Instructor in Drawing and Painting from the life;
Emil Carlsen, Instructor in Drawing and Painting from the life;
Henry E. Radash, M.D., Instructor in Anatomy.
'
The aim of the School is to supply the best facilities possible
for the study of the Fine Arts in general and by regular courses of
study to equip ' its . students for any 'special .kind of artistic , work
which they may desire to follow. It is an advanced school, and
presupposes that its students have received primary instruction,
and then engages them at once and exclusively in the study of the ,
Fine Artsand concentrates its energies in this direction alone.During the past summer sixteen students were sent abroad upon
Cresson Travelling Scholarships, but we regret to report that their
work was greatly interfered with by the sudden breaking out of
war. Most of them were compelled to change their plans and cu.r~
tail the number of Galleries to be visited and the work of the great
masters to be studied. We had an anxious summer in reaching all
of our students after the war broke out, keeping them in funds, '
arid getting them home. Some students, as might be expected,
during such a senseless convulsion of civilization as the present war
presents, had exciting and annoying experiences, but they fin~l1y
all safely and happily returned and have taken up anew a further
year's study in The Academy's Schools.
These are the names of our successful Cresson students as
announced at the close of the term May the 28th:
Edith Emerson.
Elsa Laubach.,
Elsie Brooke Snowden.
Mildred B. Stern.
Paul Froelich was awarded a scholarship upon his work this year,
but by reason of his youth it will not be effective until 'a fter next
year's study in The Academy.
/
Emily Kohler.
Thomas B. Jones.
Frank Klages.
Louis Maraffi ..
Mary Klauder.
Benjamin J ~ Kutcher.
Laura Wheeler.
Helen Jewell;
Winfred Hyatt.
Ed Ulreich.
Theodore Van Soelen.
Rowley W. Murphy.
[ISJ
Alex"nder Portno ff
SCULPTURE (CLASS WORK), 1914
WORK FROM THE SCULPTURE CLASS IN COMPETITION FOR CRESSON TRAVELLING
SCHOLARSHIPS, 1914
~-
,~
The other awards made to students during the year were as
follows:
The Edmund Stewardson Prize in Sculpture was awarded by a
Jury of Sculptors, comprised of R. Tait MacKenzie, Henry Hering
and Edward Berge, to Frank Jirouch.
The Ramborger Prize in Drawing was awarded by the Faculty,
for the best drawing in black and white of a head from life by a
student not under instruction over two years, to Terrell Stapp,
with honorable mention of Marie Simmon.
.
The Henry J. Thouron Prizes in Composition were awarded as
follows:
The Prize decided by the vote of the Faculty for a group of three
compositions, upon subjects given to the class during the current
year, to Paul Froelich.
.
The Prize for a similar group, decided by the vote of the students
of the Composition Class, to Ed Ulreich.
The Prize decided by Joseph T. Pearson, Jr., Instructor of the
Class, for general progress and improvement in study, to Charles
Larsen .
. The Prize decided by Mr. Pearson, based upon the most poetic
or ideaiistic treatment, to Cyril Brady.
The Packard Zoological Prizes were awarded, in the order riamed,
to E. J. Dinsmore, Paul G . Kase, Janet Shontz.
The Charles Toppan Prizes, eligible only to those students who
have previously received a Cresson Travelling Scholarship, were
awarded for the best original painting in oil, the unaided work of
the student without criticism. The subject assigned was" an outof-door view, including one or more figures." The first prize of
$300 was awarded to Raymond Theel, the second prize of $200 to
John C. Tidden, with two honorable mentions of $IOO each to Ed
Ulreich and Theodore Van Soelen.
It is gratifying to record that Miss Alice I. Riddle, one of our
students who received a Cresson Scholarship in 1913, has Just been
awarded a prize of a thousand dollars, having made the best design,
among ten submitted, for a mural decoration in the Library of the
West Philadelphia High School.
.
THE ACADEMY'S BUILDING
The Board of Directors have continued the policy, which was
begun some years ago, of making our Galleries as absolutely fireproof as human skill and ingenuity can suggest. The work has been
carried so far already that we believe O~lf building to be as safe as
any building of its kind can be made in the centre of the city.
We have almost completely eliminated wood from the building,
inside and out, and substituted therefor cement, iron, or plaster,
and while cement floors are somewhat inconvenient at first, visitors
and students soon get accustomed to them and cannot fail to appre[IS]
ciate the sense of increased security which comes from getting rid
as far as possible of all inflammable material. Generally speaking,
we have' fireproofed all exposed iron work, have substituted cement
floors for wooden ones, wired glass for plain glass, iron or fireproofed
doors for wooden doors, and steel lockers for wooden lockers, andeven steel racks in which the students can store their canvases
have been installed. .
The cellar and basement rooms have been divided into separate
units, each fireproof in itself, and divided from adjoining rooms or
compartments by solid walls or automatic fire doors. Wooden
stairs have been torn out and replaced by those of iron and steel;
steel shutters, either rolling or folding, have been supplied to the
windows as far as it has been possible to do so, and the windows
have been glazed with heavy wired glass which is difficult to break
and hard to melt. During the last summer the old plain glass in
the roof and skylights over Galleries B, C, D, E and South Corridor
and South Triangle wcl.-s replaced with heavy wired glass; seven
windows on the south side of the building, which had wooden frames
and sash, were fitted with steel ones, glazed with . wired glass and
fitted with automatic fusible plugs; and the room where the stu~
dents store their canvases, which is now fitted with automatic fire
doors, steel racks, cement floors, and brick arched ceiling, was
further protected against fire from without, by covering the only
remaining door, which was an outer one, wit h sheet iron.
The building throughout has been put in first class order. All
of the roof gutters were renewed, iron spouts · were replaced with
those of copper, and the steam boilers wp.ich had given 44 years of
successful service in heating the · building and which were finally
condemned by the city authorities, were replaced by new ones of
larger capacity and having improved draft connections . . The main
flue was re-lined throughout and was re-pointed from the roof to
the top.
Anew system of lighting the Galleries, so that the pictures may
be seen to better advantage, has been installed and is gradually
being extended. . It is completed in all Galleries excepting the East
and West Corridors. The physical condition of the building is now
better than it has been for some years.
The thanks of the Ma1)-agement of The Academy are hereby
extended to his Honor the Mayor of Philadelphia, to the . Mayor's
Cabinet, and to the Select and Common Councils, for their continued sympathy and assistance; and to the President and members
of the Board of Education in sending to our Schools students eminently_fit and worthy of instruction.
To the Press of Philadelphia we are greatly indebted for the
large amount of space which is given to The Academy and its
Exhibitions and for the skilled appreciations and criticisms which
our papers publish about the Exhibitions from time to time held
in our Galleries.
THE ACADEMY'S NEEDS
We need a larger endowment with which. to carryon our work
both as a public gallery and as a school. We need money for the
purchase of pictures; the award of larger prizes to artists who qend
their works to our Annual Exhibitions; for the payment of salaries
to lecturers and instructors; for the assistance of needy students
while at work in our own School (much more than we need money
to send them abroad), and we need Scholarships for this purpose.
The sum of $100 will pay all the tuition fees of a student at The
Academy for a year, and an endowment yielding $100 annually,
say $2,000 , will establish a Scholarship in perpetuity.
Pictures such as The Academy should have in its Permanent
. Collection bring very large prices and we need funds to buy examples
of the work of quite a number of American artists, both living and
dead, not now represented in our Galleries.
The work we are doing is national in scope, eminently laudable
in object and worthy of generous support. Referring to the last
Annual Exhibition of The Academy, one of our esteemed daily
papers-The PUQlic Ledger-recently said that the Exhibition was
"a striking example of the monumental results that can be accomplish ed with shamefully meagre resources when the fixed resolve
to overcome obstacles exists. The Academy for more than a century
has lived a hand to mouth existence, depending upon a m ere driblet
from city appropriations and the casual bounty of a very few
benefactors. The Metropolitan Museum has had so much money
and so much art lavished upon it that it does not know how to
spend the one nor house the ·other. Yet we find no less eminent
an authority than John W. Alexander, President of the National
Academy of Design, plaintively asking why N ew York cannot give
an art show equal to the one annually held in Philadelphia. Still
more impressive evidence of the quality of our salon is the fact
that the artists save their best pictures for it and regard its prizes
as their professional blue ribbons."
With the hope that we may have your continued sympathy and
assistance this report is respectfully submitted.
JOHN FREDERICK LEWIS,
President.
JOHN ANDREW MYERS,
Secretary.
J.
PRESS OF
B. LIPPINCOTT COMPA NY
PHILADELPHIA
. ,OF THE FINE ARTS
. I
A .BRIEF STATEMENT
MANAGEMENT OF
' T HE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE
FINE ARTS
PRESIDENT
JOHN FREDERICK LEW1S
VICE-PRESIDENT
CLEMENT B. NEWBOLD
HONORARY VICE-PRESID E NT
E. BURGESS· WARREN
DIRECTORS
THEOPHILUS P. CHANDLER
ALFRED C . HARRISON
HERBERT M. HOWE, M.D.
CLARENCE C. ZANTZfNGEK
GEORGE H. McFADDEN
T. DEWITT CUYLER
CLEMENT B. NEWBOLD
CHARLEMAGNE TOWEK
EDWARD T. STOTESBURY
ARTHUR H. LEA
THEODORE N. ELY
JOSEPH E. WIDENER
FRANK H. CAVEN
TREASURER
GEORGE H : McFADDEN
SI<:CRETARY
JOHN ANDREW MYERS
HONO R AkY CURATOR O F Pl<I" T S
SARAH MINIS HAYS
CURATOR OF THE SCHOOLS
ANNA T. BENNETT
CURATOR OF PAINTIN G S
GILBERT S. PARKER
SOLICITOR
JOHN G . JOHNSON
I ,
THE .PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY
OF THE FINE ARTS
PHILADELPHIA, January 1St, 19 1 S.
The President and Directors have the' honor to .submit the
report of their stewardship for the past year.
We are gratified at being able, to say that, with the exception of
the interference caused by the present wretched European war, the
work of the year has been pre-eminently successful.
,
.
THE COMING ANNUAL EXHIBITION
The -I I~th Annual Exhibition of Oil Painting and Sculptur~ will
open to' the public Sunday, February 7th, I9iS, and close Sunday,
March 28th.
The Press View and Varnishing Day will be Saturday, February
6th, from '10.00 A.M. until. 4.00 P.M.
The Reception and Private View will be held the same evening
at 8.30 o'clock.
"
An Artists' Evening, intended especially to bring artists in contact with the students of the School and with the public to their
mutua} advantage, will be held Saturday evening, February 13th,
19 IS, at 8.30 o'clock, to which you are cordially invited. Upon ,this
occasion you can meet artists under less crowded conditions than
, at the Reception and Private View, arrd if you desire to purchase
pictures or give commissions for portraits, you may have the opportunity easily afforded you. '
The Annual Exhibition of Oil Painting and Sculpture will
consist of original works by American artists not publ~~ly shown
before in Philadelphia. It is limited to the works of -American ,
artists, -because, even with such limitation, the field covered is so
large that it is not reasonably possible to exhibit the works of foreign
-artists at the same time except by excl t1 ding many worthy works
by Americans, and also because the chief 'o bject of The Academy,
as stated in its ancient charter, is "promoting the cultivation of the
Fine Arts in this country."
.
The Exhibition is essentially national in scope, including works
from all over the country and even from Americarr artists living
abroad. Every work is submitted to a Jury composed of well,
[3]
known artists, who pass upon it without dictation or interference
from the management of The Academy. The action of the Jury
is final and every work exhibited is hung by a Hanging Committee
of artists. The Exhibition therefore illustrates, as it is intended to
do, the highest standard of American art as judged and hung by
American artists themselves.
The Jury meets in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. Special
juries meet in Chicago and St. Louis, and also in Paris, but on
account of the present disturbed condition of European affairs,
the selection of works in Europe by a jury this year was rendered
impracticable, and the management of The Academy was compelled
to- request American artists working in Eur:ope to submit their
work direct to the Jury in Philadelphia.
Almost all the works entered for exhibition are for sale, and at
studio prices, by which is meant a price direct from the artist to
the purchaser. We suggest that you can make your art purchases
direct from The Academy's Exhibitions, with great advantage to
yourself and to the exhibiting artists, and have the added advantage
of acquiring a work which has been formally approved by the verdict _
of The Academy's Jury and given the prestige of having been
exhibited in The Academy's Galleries.
A competent agent is present at all times during the Exhibition
to advise and assist purchasers.
The Jury of Selection for the coming Exhibition is as follows:
PAINTING
HUGH H. BRECKENRIDGE, Chairman
FRANK W. BENSON WILLIAM M. CHASE
W. L. LATHROP
ADOLPHE BORIE
COLIN -CAMPBELL COOPER IRVING R. WILES
ARTHUR B. CARLES CHILDE HASSAM
JULIUS STEWART
CHARLES H. WOODBURY
CHARLES. G RAFL Y
SCULPTURE
ALBERT LAESSLE
LINDSAY MORRIS STERLING
HANGING COMMITTEE
HUGH H. BRECKENRIDGE
CHARLES GRAFL Y
ADOLPHE BORIE
CHARLES H. WOODBURY
There are various medals or awards which are given to exhibiting
artists ot to their work. Some are awarded by the Board of Directors
ana some by the Jury, and for those awarded by the Jury the
members of the Jury are of course ineligible.
The Gold Medal -of Honor is awarded at the discretion of the
Directors of The Academy to American Painters or Sculptors who
may be exhibitors at The Academy or represented in the permanent
[5]
collection. It is -probably the most coveted of all the awards,
because it is given to artists "in recognition of high achievement
in their profession, or who, for eminent services in the cause of
art or to the Academy, have merited the distinction."
The late Joseph E. Temple created a fund to be used for the
purchase of works of art and, for the awarding of medals. The
Temple Gold Medal is awarded by the Painters' Jury "for the best
picture painted in oil without regard to subject." .
The Walter Lippincott Prize, with an option on the part of the
founder to purchase the chosen painting for the price at which it is
entered, is awarded by the Committee on Exhibition for "the best
figure piece paiiJ.ted in oil by an American citizen and which is for
sale."
The Mary Smith Prize, also de'c ided by theCominittee on Exhibition, is awarded" to the Painter of the best painting (not excluding
portraits) exhibiting at the Academy, painted by a woman artist
resident in Philadelphia, for qualities ranking as follows: 1st,
Qriginality of Subject; 2d, Beauty of Design or Drawmg; 3d, Color
and Effect; and, lastly, Execution."
The Jennie Sesnan Gold Medal is awarded by the Painters'
Jury" for the best landscape' in the Exhibition."
The Beck Gold Medal is similarly awarded "to the best portrait
in_oil in the Exhibition, and which has been completed within three
years."
Through the generosity of Edward Bok, a new award is offered
this year called the Phil9-delphia Prize, for the painting which
visitors to the Exhibition select as their choice. The object of the
award is to encourage the public to look at the pictures with increased personal interest . and discrimination. During the week
beginning March 7th every person visiting the Galleries will be
entitled to cast one vote "for the picture he likes best."
The George D. Widener Memorial Gold Medal, established by
the Board of Directors in memory of their fellow member, George D.
Widener, who was lost on the steamship "Titanic," is awarded by
the Sculptors' Jury "to the most meritorious work in Sculpture
modeled by an American citizen, and shown in the Exhibition."
Under the will of the late John Lambert, who was a former
student of The Academy, a trust fund is established for the purchase
,of pictures from The Academy's Annual Exhibition, and this, together with the Temple Fund, are the only trust moneys belonging
to The Academy for the express purpose of making purchases.
It is needless to say that the fu,nds thus available ought to be -largely
increased so that our already notable collection of works by American
artists, regarded by many as the foremost of ifs kind, may be constantlyenriched by the best examples of ~he day, and by adequate
payment therefor American artists and sculptors encouraged in
their .efforts to keep A!p.eri~an art at the highest standard. These
[6]
funds are to be used only f01; the purchase of pictures out of the _
Annual Exhibitions. Funds are therefore needed for the purchase
of pictures generally, whether by American or foreign artists. A
splendid opportunity presents itself for establishing a memorial,
by the purchase of one picture for The Academy's Permanent
Collection, or the establishment of a fund the principal of which
shall be kept intact, _and the income only used for the purchase 6f
pictures.
THE WORK OF THE PAST YEAR
During the year 1914 the Galleries of The Academy have been
open to the-public daily, including Sundays, and were visited by the
grand total of 179,168 persons, an increase of s,8IJover the total
attendance in 1913. The Permanent Collection, the Annual Exhibitions, the Special Exhibitions, and the Print Collection have all
been t he means of educating the public in a knowledge of art.
.
In addition to The Academy's Permanent Exhibition of Painting
and Sculpture, there were held during the past year the following: The I09th Annual Exhibition -of Oil Painting and -Sculpture,
composed of 330 paintings and 189 sculptures, representing 284
exhibiting artists.
The Annual Water Color Exhibition, in collaboration with the
Philadelphia Water Color Club, composed of 718 paintings, representing 241 exhibiting artists.
The Annual Exhibition of Miniatures, in collaboration with the
Pennsylvania Society of Miniature Painters, composed of 103 examples, representing 62 -exhibiting artists.
A Retrospective Exhibition of the Paintings of Alexander Harrison and Birge Harrison, composed of 83 examples by the former
and 3S by the latter.
An Exhibition of Paintings by contemporary Spanish artists,
composed of 66 examples, and which was of special interest as
representing the best Spanish art of the day.
In connection with the-I09th Annual Exhibition the Management
reports the following awards:
The Temple Gold Medal to W. Elmer Schofield for his work entitled "The Hill Country."
The Jennie Sesnan Gold Medal to Robert Spencer for his
"Five O'Clock: June."
The Carol H. Beck Gold Medal to Robert Henri for his work
en titled "Herself."
The Walter Lippincott Prize to M. Jean McLane for her "Virginia and Stanton Arnold."
The Mary Smith Prize to Nina B. Ward for her work entitled
" Elizabeth."
The George D. Widener Memorial Gold Medal to Paul Manship
for-his" Duck Girl: Fountain."
We are pleased t9 record that Mr. Manship's beautiful and classic
work has been purchased by the Fairmount Park 'Art Association.
We congratulate him as one of our former students, and the
Association in acquiring fbr our Philadelphia public this notable
work.
.
Re.ferring to this Exhibition, Mr. W. H. deB~ Nelson, in the
International Studio, for March, 1914, published a review entitled
"Pennsylvania Pre-eminent," in which he says: "It is so customary
to chronicle a good show, as to make it unnecessary to state that
this year proves no exception. One may go further, and say that
it is by general acclaim the best Exhibition as yet held in Philadelphia."
.
During the lo9th Annual Exhibition 61,246 peopie visited the
Galleries, the largest attendance on anyone day being 6,417, which
was on Sunday, the fifteenth day of March, 1914.
We are pleased to report that 29 paintings were sold, and 31
sculptures, making a total of 60 works, for which there was realized
for artists the sum of $2S,22 I.2s-the largest number of works ever
sold at an Annual Exhibition held at The Academy, and the largest
amount in money ever realized thereat.
NEW ACQ.UISITIONS
From the lo9th Annual Exhibition, the following pictures were
purchased:
.
With the Temple Fund:
"The Blue Gulf 'Stream," by Frederick J. Waugh.
"Quebec," by Everett L. Warner.
"Rocks and Breakers: California," by William RitscheL
With the John Lamoert Fund:
'.'The Fisherman," by John R. Conner.
"Apennine Village," by Marie Haughton Spaeth.
"Rose Color; Scarlet and Black," by F. G. Carpenter.
"Sketch: The Little Market, Baveno;" by Gertrude A. Lambert.
"Calendula and Aster," by Maud Drein Bryant.
"Sunshine on St. I ves: Corn wall," by Hayley Lever.
"The Pile Driver," by 'George H. Macrum.
Among 'other important acquisitions to ' the Permanent Collection of The Ac;:ademYi the following are noted:
Portrait of Henry Thouron by John McClure Hamilton, presented by the painter.
Portrait of Adolph Ulrich Wertmuller by the artist himself,
purchased with the Gilpin Fund. Wertmuller was a native of
Sweden, but he worked in this country in Colonial times and painted,
in addition to those of other 'n oted men, the portrait of Washington.
Portrait of James McNeil Whistler painted by Walter Graves,
purchased with the Gilpin Fund.
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These three portraits will be added to the collection which The
Academy is making of portraits of American artists or of foreign
artists who worked in this country. .
A portrait bust in bronze of Joseph Price, M.D., by Charles
Grafly , presented by Mrs. Joseph Price.
A bronze medal of Cardinal Gibbons, by J. Maxwell Miller,
presented by Michael J enkins.
A miniature portrait of Manuel Phillips, M.D., Surgeon in the
United States Navy, presented by J. Bunford Samuel.
The remnant of an early Academy poster, dated May · 26th ,
I8IS, was presented by H. G. R eagan.
f.·
THE
PENNSYLVANIA
ACADEMY
The Library of The Academy has been increased by books
presented by the following: . Mrs. Samuel F. Houston, Mr. Theophilus P. Chandler, Miss Violet Oakley, Mr. Mantle Fielding, and
Mr. John R eid.
THE PRINT COLLECTION
A special exhibition was made from October 31, 1913, to March
IS, 1914, of the Etchings of R embrandt and of the Line Engravings,
Etchings and Wood-cuts of Albert Durer, from the splendid examples
in the collection belonging to The Academy. Another special exhibition of engravings is, at the date of this writing, now being shown
in the galleries. It is intended to represent the different methods
of engravers and consists of selected examples' of wood-cuts and
wood-engravings, line engravings, mezzo-tints, etchings, stipples,
. [9]
1
f
lithographs, and color.. prints. The prints were selected and ar-·
ranged- by Miss Sarah Minis Hays, Honorary Curator of Prints.
It is not generally known and appreciated that The Academy .
possesse~ ·o ne of the largest and most valuable collections of engravings in America. Its foundation was laid by the late John S.Phillips,
who not only bequeathed to The Academy in 1876 his entire collection, the result of many years of self~sacrificing devotion in searching Europe and America for the best examples of the art of engraving, but who bequeathed also a fund to be used for the care and
enrichment - of the cabinet. Many others have since presented
prints to The Academy, so that at the present time we own a total
of probably 60,000 prints, line engravings, mezzotints, etchings,
wood-cuts and lithographs, a truly monumental collection ·and one
which it would be practically impossible to duplicate. Nevertheless,
there are indeed many prints which we still lack and, ought tohavt:
and this especially in mezzotints, in eighteenth century color prints,
and in modern etchings, and_ the Cura~or will be glad to accept
prints for the Collection, 6r funds "with whi<;:h to purchase them.
Quite a number of prints have been added to the Collection
during the past year. Probably the most notable were two line
engravings by Robert Nanteuil, both portraits of Pomponne de
Bellievre, and many m ezzotints from the rocker of the late John
Sartain. A special effort is now being made to form a complete
collection of the work of Sartain who was intimately identified with
the history of art in Philadelphia, was for eleven years the Secretary
of The Academy, and who really introduced the art of mezzotinting
into America.
Our whole Collection is being re-mounted on uniform mouhts
which will make the pripts easier to exhibit, to arrange and to catalogue. Under the superintendence of the Curator, over five thousand
prints have already been re-mounted, and it may be of interest to
state that the method adopted is in accordance with the most
modern practice of print collectors. Each print is suspended from
the top by a light paper hinge and then laid in a countersunk mount
which prevents it from being injured or rubbed. The cardboard for
the mount has been selected, after consultation with the curators
of other public collections,and has been especially tested by an
analytical chemist and found free from acids or other harmful
substances which might injure the prints.
THE ·A CADEMY'S SCHOOLS
Probably at no time in the history of The Academy have its
schools been in more flourishing conditiori. One hundred and nine .
new students have been admitted, a total far surpassing any previous
anilUal record. The total enrollment now amounts to 269, and it is
indeed gratifying to observe thCJt the students come to us not only
from J::>ennsylvania but also from all over the United S~ates, from
[10]
Canada and even from China. Besides being the oldest school in
America devoted exclusively to the cultivation of the Fine Arts,
we believe that it is now the largest, and we congratulate the Faculty
and students for the splendid reputation they have given the Schad
and for the high standard it has reached and maintains.
[II]
During the hundred years and more of its existence it has helped
to train many artists whose names are illustrious upon the pages
of American art, not only painters-figure, landscape, and marine-but mural decorators, illustrators, and sculptors of national
reputation, are found upon its register, so that the history of the
School is in no small measure the history of American art itself.
The School is directly under the care of the Committee on Instruction, appointed by the President from the Board of Directors,
and the Faculty is composed of men of wide experience as teachers,
and eminently qualified, from their knowledge of art, to develop
such talent as our students may possess and thus enable them to
make the world more beautiful and their fellow-men happier wit h
nobler tastes and aspirations.
The Faculty is composed as follows:
Herbert M . Howe, M.D., Chairman of the Committee on
Instruction, is Chairman of the Faculty, ex officio .
Charles Grafiy, Instructor in Sculpture;
Hugh H. Breckenridge, Instructor in Drawing and Painting,
especially Portraiture and Still life ;
Cecilia Beaux, Instructor in Drawing and Painting, especially
Portraiture;
Henry McCarter, Instructor in Illustration;
Joseph T. Pearson, Jr., Instructor in Composition and in Drawing and Painting, especially from the life;
Frank Miles Day , Instructor in Perspective;
Daniel Garber, Instructor in Drawing and Painting ;
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SOME WORK IN COMPETITION FOR CRESSON TRAVELLING SCHOLARSHIPS, 191 4
Violet Oakley, Instructor in Design;
Phillip L. Hale, Instructor in Drawing and Painting from the life;
Emil Carlsen, Instructor in Drawing and Painting from the life;
Henry E. Radash, M.D., Instructor in Anatomy.
'
The aim of the School is to supply the best facilities possible
for the study of the Fine Arts in general and by regular courses of
study to equip ' its . students for any 'special .kind of artistic , work
which they may desire to follow. It is an advanced school, and
presupposes that its students have received primary instruction,
and then engages them at once and exclusively in the study of the ,
Fine Artsand concentrates its energies in this direction alone.During the past summer sixteen students were sent abroad upon
Cresson Travelling Scholarships, but we regret to report that their
work was greatly interfered with by the sudden breaking out of
war. Most of them were compelled to change their plans and cu.r~
tail the number of Galleries to be visited and the work of the great
masters to be studied. We had an anxious summer in reaching all
of our students after the war broke out, keeping them in funds, '
arid getting them home. Some students, as might be expected,
during such a senseless convulsion of civilization as the present war
presents, had exciting and annoying experiences, but they fin~l1y
all safely and happily returned and have taken up anew a further
year's study in The Academy's Schools.
These are the names of our successful Cresson students as
announced at the close of the term May the 28th:
Edith Emerson.
Elsa Laubach.,
Elsie Brooke Snowden.
Mildred B. Stern.
Paul Froelich was awarded a scholarship upon his work this year,
but by reason of his youth it will not be effective until 'a fter next
year's study in The Academy.
/
Emily Kohler.
Thomas B. Jones.
Frank Klages.
Louis Maraffi ..
Mary Klauder.
Benjamin J ~ Kutcher.
Laura Wheeler.
Helen Jewell;
Winfred Hyatt.
Ed Ulreich.
Theodore Van Soelen.
Rowley W. Murphy.
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Alex"nder Portno ff
SCULPTURE (CLASS WORK), 1914
WORK FROM THE SCULPTURE CLASS IN COMPETITION FOR CRESSON TRAVELLING
SCHOLARSHIPS, 1914
~-
,~
The other awards made to students during the year were as
follows:
The Edmund Stewardson Prize in Sculpture was awarded by a
Jury of Sculptors, comprised of R. Tait MacKenzie, Henry Hering
and Edward Berge, to Frank Jirouch.
The Ramborger Prize in Drawing was awarded by the Faculty,
for the best drawing in black and white of a head from life by a
student not under instruction over two years, to Terrell Stapp,
with honorable mention of Marie Simmon.
.
The Henry J. Thouron Prizes in Composition were awarded as
follows:
The Prize decided by the vote of the Faculty for a group of three
compositions, upon subjects given to the class during the current
year, to Paul Froelich.
.
The Prize for a similar group, decided by the vote of the students
of the Composition Class, to Ed Ulreich.
The Prize decided by Joseph T. Pearson, Jr., Instructor of the
Class, for general progress and improvement in study, to Charles
Larsen .
. The Prize decided by Mr. Pearson, based upon the most poetic
or ideaiistic treatment, to Cyril Brady.
The Packard Zoological Prizes were awarded, in the order riamed,
to E. J. Dinsmore, Paul G . Kase, Janet Shontz.
The Charles Toppan Prizes, eligible only to those students who
have previously received a Cresson Travelling Scholarship, were
awarded for the best original painting in oil, the unaided work of
the student without criticism. The subject assigned was" an outof-door view, including one or more figures." The first prize of
$300 was awarded to Raymond Theel, the second prize of $200 to
John C. Tidden, with two honorable mentions of $IOO each to Ed
Ulreich and Theodore Van Soelen.
It is gratifying to record that Miss Alice I. Riddle, one of our
students who received a Cresson Scholarship in 1913, has Just been
awarded a prize of a thousand dollars, having made the best design,
among ten submitted, for a mural decoration in the Library of the
West Philadelphia High School.
.
THE ACADEMY'S BUILDING
The Board of Directors have continued the policy, which was
begun some years ago, of making our Galleries as absolutely fireproof as human skill and ingenuity can suggest. The work has been
carried so far already that we believe O~lf building to be as safe as
any building of its kind can be made in the centre of the city.
We have almost completely eliminated wood from the building,
inside and out, and substituted therefor cement, iron, or plaster,
and while cement floors are somewhat inconvenient at first, visitors
and students soon get accustomed to them and cannot fail to appre[IS]
ciate the sense of increased security which comes from getting rid
as far as possible of all inflammable material. Generally speaking,
we have' fireproofed all exposed iron work, have substituted cement
floors for wooden ones, wired glass for plain glass, iron or fireproofed
doors for wooden doors, and steel lockers for wooden lockers, andeven steel racks in which the students can store their canvases
have been installed. .
The cellar and basement rooms have been divided into separate
units, each fireproof in itself, and divided from adjoining rooms or
compartments by solid walls or automatic fire doors. Wooden
stairs have been torn out and replaced by those of iron and steel;
steel shutters, either rolling or folding, have been supplied to the
windows as far as it has been possible to do so, and the windows
have been glazed with heavy wired glass which is difficult to break
and hard to melt. During the last summer the old plain glass in
the roof and skylights over Galleries B, C, D, E and South Corridor
and South Triangle wcl.-s replaced with heavy wired glass; seven
windows on the south side of the building, which had wooden frames
and sash, were fitted with steel ones, glazed with . wired glass and
fitted with automatic fusible plugs; and the room where the stu~
dents store their canvases, which is now fitted with automatic fire
doors, steel racks, cement floors, and brick arched ceiling, was
further protected against fire from without, by covering the only
remaining door, which was an outer one, wit h sheet iron.
The building throughout has been put in first class order. All
of the roof gutters were renewed, iron spouts · were replaced with
those of copper, and the steam boilers wp.ich had given 44 years of
successful service in heating the · building and which were finally
condemned by the city authorities, were replaced by new ones of
larger capacity and having improved draft connections . . The main
flue was re-lined throughout and was re-pointed from the roof to
the top.
Anew system of lighting the Galleries, so that the pictures may
be seen to better advantage, has been installed and is gradually
being extended. . It is completed in all Galleries excepting the East
and West Corridors. The physical condition of the building is now
better than it has been for some years.
The thanks of the Ma1)-agement of The Academy are hereby
extended to his Honor the Mayor of Philadelphia, to the . Mayor's
Cabinet, and to the Select and Common Councils, for their continued sympathy and assistance; and to the President and members
of the Board of Education in sending to our Schools students eminently_fit and worthy of instruction.
To the Press of Philadelphia we are greatly indebted for the
large amount of space which is given to The Academy and its
Exhibitions and for the skilled appreciations and criticisms which
our papers publish about the Exhibitions from time to time held
in our Galleries.
THE ACADEMY'S NEEDS
We need a larger endowment with which. to carryon our work
both as a public gallery and as a school. We need money for the
purchase of pictures; the award of larger prizes to artists who qend
their works to our Annual Exhibitions; for the payment of salaries
to lecturers and instructors; for the assistance of needy students
while at work in our own School (much more than we need money
to send them abroad), and we need Scholarships for this purpose.
The sum of $100 will pay all the tuition fees of a student at The
Academy for a year, and an endowment yielding $100 annually,
say $2,000 , will establish a Scholarship in perpetuity.
Pictures such as The Academy should have in its Permanent
. Collection bring very large prices and we need funds to buy examples
of the work of quite a number of American artists, both living and
dead, not now represented in our Galleries.
The work we are doing is national in scope, eminently laudable
in object and worthy of generous support. Referring to the last
Annual Exhibition of The Academy, one of our esteemed daily
papers-The PUQlic Ledger-recently said that the Exhibition was
"a striking example of the monumental results that can be accomplish ed with shamefully meagre resources when the fixed resolve
to overcome obstacles exists. The Academy for more than a century
has lived a hand to mouth existence, depending upon a m ere driblet
from city appropriations and the casual bounty of a very few
benefactors. The Metropolitan Museum has had so much money
and so much art lavished upon it that it does not know how to
spend the one nor house the ·other. Yet we find no less eminent
an authority than John W. Alexander, President of the National
Academy of Design, plaintively asking why N ew York cannot give
an art show equal to the one annually held in Philadelphia. Still
more impressive evidence of the quality of our salon is the fact
that the artists save their best pictures for it and regard its prizes
as their professional blue ribbons."
With the hope that we may have your continued sympathy and
assistance this report is respectfully submitted.
JOHN FREDERICK LEWIS,
President.
JOHN ANDREW MYERS,
Secretary.
J.
PRESS OF
B. LIPPINCOTT COMPA NY
PHILADELPHIA