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a 56. J3fuum Art, ýIetropolitxlY oi TJ NPl)1u itY GALLERY, JOnN TAYLOR JORNCTON, President. ROBERT GORDON, Treasurer. THEODORE WESTON, Rec. Secretary. 681 FIFTH AVENUE, NEAR 53D ST. RUSSELL STURGIS, Jr., Cor. Secretary. G. P. PUTNAM, Honorary Superintendent. NEW YORK, OCT. 8, L872. Sir : We take the liberty of sending you herewith, a brief outline of the objects and the progress of the METROPOLITAN MUSEUMOF ART,-(sketched before the opening of the temporary Gallery, ) with a list of Subscribers to the fund to this date. The importance of this enterprise is too obvious to need any extended explanation or argument. Not only those who are specially interested in Art and Artistic Culture, but all in- telligent citizens who have anything at stake in this great city, and who wish to see it become as famous for its attractions in this direction, as for its wealth and commercial prosperity, will surely take pride and pleasure in being among the earliest pro- moters and founders of a great Institution, opening the treasures of art of all ages and nations for the free instruction and grati- fication of the whole people. ý872. _ý TEMPORARYý_ GALLERY, c No. 68t FIFTH AVENUE, (near 53d Street.) ADMIT BEARER AND LADIES. "--- Hours front 9 A. 111.,to 5 P. 31. [Mondays excepted. ] ill1`tl'lltllllltall ýI't ýýýl1ýiClllll0fi, Tl: \1POl; A1tY (1 \LT. EItl' 61s'l FIFTH AVENUE, ; \-F AR liiD STR7: 6.T, [/luýirs !) 1. M. daily, 1''ut-ht"/x JLuarl, /)"uýýt . e. itl t, /x G'x.ccplefl 1lUiuhill !: 'rwýi. 7 i0 10. ] nhHl . u/x ADMIT ONE GENTLEMAN AND ONE LADY. 1Vit/ Cun#plinaenI8 of the E eetitire Cunt, niltee. Lath one hla. ß i' The 4ixth .1vauue and 31a lison _iveuue, (Central Park) Car's pass -k from the Jluscum. The Museum is also intended to exhibit a series of histori- cal examples, showing the APPLICATIONof the principles of A&T in all departments of manufacture, and the practical uses of daily life. The success and permanence of the Institution are now assured, as you will see by the enclosed, but a large addition is needed to its available funds. It is hoped that a perusal of these documents and a visit to the Museum, may induce many to become Subscribers to the Fund who have not had any personal application made to them, and who may hitherto have been without any definite knowledge of the condition of the enterprise. A Card of Admission is enclosed. On behalf of the Trustees, JOHN TAYLOR JOHNSTON, Pres't. Subscription to the Fund may be addressed to the Treasurer, MR. ROBERT GORDON, 45 Exchange Place. *** A list of the Trustees and Officers of the Museum is printed in the enclosed Circular. \ ý, t.1ý, NEW YORK. OUTLINE OF ITS PROGRESS, AND OF THE CHARTER, CONSTITU- TION, I1'C., WITH LIST OF OFFICERS, SUBSCRIBERS TO TILE FUND, ETC. .- The movement which has resulted in the establishment of the METl oPOLITAN MUSEUM or' Aml was initiated at a public meeting for consultation on this subject held, on the 23d day of November, 1869, when a Special Committee of Fifty was appointed. The number of this Committee was after- ward increased to one hundred and sixteen, and these gentle- men organized the Association substantially as it exists at present. On the 13th day of April, 1870, the Legislature of the State of New York granted an Act of Incorporation to this body by the name of "the Metropolitan Museum of Art, " to be located in the City of New York, " for the purpose of estab- lishing and maintaining in said City a Museum and Library of Art, of encouraging and developing the study of the Fine Arts and the application of Art to Manufacture and Practical Life, of advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects, and to that end of furnishing popular instruction and recre- ation. " METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. On the 24th day of May, 1870, at the first annual meeting of the Trustees, a Constitution was adopted, which, with sub- sequent imendments, provides in substance that the Associa- tion shall be limited to two hundred and fifty members ; that new members shall be elected and vacancies filled by the Corporation on nomination of the Trustees ; that the annual dues of members shall not exceed forty dollars ; that members shall be entitled to free admission to the exhibition rooms at all reasonable times ; that the officers shall be a President, nine Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, a Recording Secretary, and a Corresponding Secretary, all of whom shall be Trustees, and twenty-one additional Trustees, beside ex-officio members of the Board ; that the officers shall be elected by the Corpora- tion at the Annual Meeting, on the second Monday in May. It is also provided that a contribution of one thousand dollars, or more, it one time, shall entitle the donor to be a "Patron ;" of five hundred dollars, to be a "Fellow in Per- pet uit' y, " with the right to appoint a successor, and of two hundred dollars to be a "Fellow for Life. " And furthermore, that contributions of works of Art or books which shall be accepted by the Trustees to the value of twice the above amounts, shall entitle the donors to the same privileges respectively. In April, 1871, the Legislature passed an act, which has become a law, by which the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars was authorized to be raised by the Department of Parks, to erect a building for the Metropolitan Museum of Art within the Central Park or some other of the public lands belonging to the City. Meanwhile the Trustees had, on the 28th day of March, 1871, become the owners of a valuable collection of pictures, consisting chiefly of specimens or the Dutch and Flemish METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. schools, but containing also important works of Italian, French, Spanish, and English masters. The authenticity of these paintings is attested by the written certificates of relia- ble experts, and among them M. Etienne LeRoy, of Brussels, one of the most distinguished authorities in this department in Europe, and M. Leon Gauchez, of Paris. " It became necessary to make immediate preparation for the custody and exhibition of these paintings, and the Trus- tees accordingly did not hesitate to take a lease for two years from May next of the building known as No. 681 Fifth Ave- nue, formerly occupied by Mr. Dodworth, which, although too small for their purposes, was still the most available hab- itation they could find. They have fitted up this building to show the pictures they have already obtained, and they hope to be able to open there also a Loan Exhibition of other pictures and objects of Art. The Trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art believe that the results they have already attained show that their Institution is permanently established upon a sure basis, and will become a most important agent in developing a taste and knowledge of Art in this community. To extend its useful- ness, however, it is indispensably necessary to increase its funds, and for this purpose they confidently appeal to all friends of Art and liberal culture in the United States. A list of the donations already received is hereto annexed, and also a list of the Officers and Trustees of the Institution. Additional subscriptions will be received by any of these gen- tlemen, and particularly by Mr. George P. Putnam, the Honorary Superintendent, at the office of the Museum, No. 681 Fifth Avenue. * Office hours from 2 to 6 P. M., or at 54 East gild Street from 9 to 12 A. M. OFFICERS FOR 1871-1872. President. JOHN TAYLOR JOHNSTON. Vice-Presidents. WILLIAM (JL LLP: N BRYANT, GEN. JOHN A. Dix, ANDREW H. GREEN, LION. EDWIN D. EIORGAN, WILLIAM H. HIGGS, ALEXANDER T. STEWART, WILLI. I II. AsPINWALL, SAMUEL F. B. MORSE, DANIEL HUNTINGTON. Trustees Ex-Officio. (In addition to the President and Vice-Preýidente. GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK. PRESTDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PARKS OF TITS CITY OF NEW YORK. COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC WORKS OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK. PRESIDENT OF TILE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN, NEW YORK. PRESIDENT NEW YORK CHAPTER INSTITUTE OF THE OF THE AMERICAN OF ARCHITECTS. Executive Committee. W. T. BLODGETT, G7i'a. [The President, JOHN TAYLOR JOHNSTON. WM. J. HOPPIN, 11 Treasurer, GORDON. J. F. KENSETT, ROBERT ý THEO. ROOSEVELT, I" Recording Sec'y, THEODORE WESTON. ý" F. W. RHINELANDER, l" Cor. Sec'y, RUS9EI. STURGIS, JR. s Finance Committee. fION. E. D. MoRC. 1N, R. STUYVESANT, II. G. Mnzzgonxv. Trustees. For One Year. RICLLARD BUTLER, THEODORE ROOSEVELT, Lucius TucKEItMAN, For Two Years. WM. J. HOPPIN, HOWARD POTTER, F. E. CHURCH. For Three Years. H. G. MARRUAND, R. M. HUNT, (iE0Y6E P. PUTNAM. Fm" Four Years. C. E. DrrTNLOLD, SALEM If. WALES, F. W. R, HINELANDER. For Five Years. S. L. M. BARLOW JOHN F. KENSETT, S. P. AV1iRY, For Six Years. ßUTRERFURD STUYOBSANT, W. T. BLODUETT, JOSEPH IL CHOATIFF. For Seven Years. G. WARD, ROBERT IIOE, JR. .`3AMUSL GEORGE WM. CURTIS, G. P. PUTN ni, Honorary Superintendent. LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE FUND FOR ESTABLISHING The Metropolitan Museum of Art, TO FEBRUARY 1,1872. .. -. William 13 Astor $2,500 13. G. Arnold $500 ............... .................. John Auclllncloss 1,000 Henry H. Anderson............ 250 .............. John Jacob Astor 1,000 William L. Andrews........... 200 .............. D. F. Appleton 1,000 Geo. W. Abbe 200 Win. H. Aspinwall................. 1,000 S. P. Avery ................. 100 ............. ................... William T. Blodgett............ 5,000 Richard Butler 500 L. M.