plans adopted by the Academy to distribute premiums to living artists for original compositions, and to extend to them the privileges of stockholders and life members, as well as in regard to the establishment of schools for the instruction of artists, have been so fully stated to the stockholders, in a report made a few years since, that it is unnecessary now to repeat them; but it may be satisfactory to the present meeting to know that an amount exceeding two thousand dollars has been expended in premiums since 1847; and that more than fifteen hundred dollars have been appropriated towards the schools. The number of scholars who have continued to be in attendance in the classes during the same period has usually amounted to upwards of twenty. Under the careful and judicious supervision of Mr. ROTHERMEL, who has voluntarily undertaken, on behalf of the Directors, the principal charge of this department, it is believed that essential advantages have accrued; and there is every reason to hope that, in future years, these may be still further extended. In the Library of the Academy are one hundred and fifty volumes of various works, illustrating and depicting many of the principal objects of art in the galleries of Europe; the remains of antiquity; the details of architecture; the costumes of various people and ages; the objects most useful to the student and most attractive to the amateur in various fields of natural science-with numerous works and treatises, in addition, by which these subjects have been illustrated. The Academy has not been insensible to the advantage of augmenting this collection, and of adopting such measures as may make it useful to students and to the visitors at the Academy, and the appropri ations which have been lately made, with this view, already exceed three hundred and fifty dollars. In the fulfilment of the objects thus sought to be attained, and in the appropriation and expenditure of the sums of money which have been stated, as well as in the disbursements required for the support of the institution, the expenses of the annual exhibitions, and the necessary expenditures for the preservation of the property, it is a source of great satisfaction that everything has been accomplished from the current revenues of the Academy. While the amount of its property has been considerably increased, and its value has been largely augmented, and while so much has been done, as it is believed, to gratify and benefit the stockholder, the visitor, the amateur, the artist, and the student, no debt whatever has been incurred; and the only obligation (with the exception of a small ground rent originally annexed to the lot, for the payment of which the rent received from the buildings thereon, not attached to the Academy, is more than sufficient) consists of a debt of eight thousand dollars, secured by mortgage, which was incurred previous to the fire of 1845, and would in all probability have been discharged but for that occurrence. Even this small debt, it is the desire of the Academy gradually to reduce, so far as this can be done, from time to time, without too greatly interfering with the continuance of the system that has been adopted and already explained. Yet it is, after all, on the continued favor of the community that the success and progress of the Academy must depend. It is this which must make its galleries more and more the resort of those to whom they afford the gratification of a refined enjoyment; it is this which must enable it to preserve and to enlarge each of the objects that are embraced in the plan it seeks to carry out. That this favor will be continued by our community I do not doubt. It was, I believe, the first institution, founded on this side of the Atlantic for the purpose of collecting and exhibiting to the public specimens of sculpture and painting; for conferring premiums on artists for original and meritorious productions in both of these branches of intellect and genius; and for giving to the student of art all the opportunities of study which well selected models, galleries, and schools can afford. Philadelphia has hitherto generously cherished it; and it is no improper wish or unreasonable belief to think that her future favors will increase with her own prosperity and population. SUBJECT. The Tribute Money (after), Royal Family of Naples at Portici, The Flight into Egypt. Infant Christ and St. John (after), The Martyrdom of St. Catharine. The Conflagration, The Fete Champetre, Cupid Musing, Ganimede (after), Cupid with a Vase, Charity (after), The Dutch Singing School. ARTIST. Rubens. Vernet. Raffaelle. G. Poussin. Van Thol. Polemberg. Vander Meulen. Olivier. Leslie. S. Rosa. Grausbach. Van Asch. Schidoni. Guido. Schidoni. Teniers. |