Viewing page 64 of 488

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[preprinted]]
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 514 
[[/preprinted]]

[[preprinted left margin]]
MADE BY BAKER-VAWTER CO.
[[/preprinted left margin]]

each organized for its own work. What we may call the mixed or American system has grown up not by forethought but because for the first fifty years of American museums fine works of older art seemed unattainable. This is no longer the case. The united private collections of America are to day richer than any European museum save the Louvre and the Prado, and possibly the Kaiserfriedrich. It would seem to be the time to adopt for our nation that division of museum functions which the experience of Europe has unanimously approved."

Appended are reports of meetings of the Executive and Advisory Committees.

Daniel Chester French,
Chairman of the Commission.

W. H. Holmes,
Secretary of the Commission.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART COMMISSION

[[underlined]] June 17, 1921 [[/underlined]]

The first or organizing meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Gallery of Art Commission was held in the Smithsonian Institution on June 17, 1921, the following members being present:

Charles Moore, Chairman
W. H. Holmes
Frank Jewett Mather, Jr.
James Parmelee
Charles D. Walcott

As provided in the plan of the Regents, the Executive Committee, when the Commission is not in session, is to have control of all matters promoted by the Commission or referred to it by the Institution.

The Chairman of the eleven sub-committees which were named by the Commission at its first meeting, June 8, were called upon for reports of progress in organization, with the following results: The Chairman of the Committees on Ancient European Paintings, on Prints, on Sculpture, and on American Paintings, had enlisted the requisite number of associates, while the other Chairmen were not prepared to report.

Much attention was given to a number of topics as follows:

The qualification desirable in members of the several Committees;

The importance of avoiding acceptance of works of art embarrassed by obligations in perpetuity;

[[initialed]] CDW [[/initialed]]