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[[preprinted]] SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 667 [[/preprinted]] [[preprinted left margin]] MADE BY BAKER-VAWTER CO. [[/preprinted left margin]] Reading of the minutes of the meeting of December 9, 1924, was dispensed with, and the Secretary then presented his report on the activities of the Gallery for the calendar year 1925. The current activities of the limited Gallery staff for the year were briefly recited. It was stated that additions to the collections fell short of the average of previous years, not greatly exceeding a hundred thousand dollars in estimated value. The falling-off was attributed in large part to the lack of suitable housing space. The most noteworthy accessions were: A statue in Carrara marble entitled THE LIBYAN SIBYL, by W. W. Story, gift of the Henry Cabot Lodge estate; and a marine painting by Edward Moran, bequest of Mrs. Clara L. Tuckerman. An important collection of art objects and ceramics presented and bequeathed by the Reverend Alfred Duane Pell, already partly installed in the Museum, has not yet been fully recorded and labeled. Attention was given to the purchase of paintings by the National Academy of Design from the Ranger Bequest, which is administered in part for the benefit of the Gallery. The purchases from the fund provided are distributed to important galleries throughout the country, the National Gallery being privileged at the lapse of stated periods to claim and hold any or all of the works thus distributed. As the question of selection from these works of desirable additions to the Gallery is a most serious one, due to the wide distribution, it was decided to be advisable, in order to gain the necessary intimate acquaintance with the paintings involved, that they should at periods of five or more years, be assembled for exhibition purposes in the National Gallery. Fifty-two paintings have been acquired and distributed during the six years since the bequest became operative. Attention was given to the matter of procedure in considering acceptance of bequests and gifts of art works, and after discussion the following resolution was adopted: RESOLVED; That the Advisory Committee of the National Gallery of Art Commission shall consist of the full membership of the Commission; that in carrying out the functions of the Advisory Committee a quorum shall consist of seven members, four of whom shall be artists or museum directors. The problems of the National Portrait Gallery, now represented mainly by the collection of twenty-two World War Portraits, which are installed on the second floor of the National Museum, were given consideration, and the following communication from Mr. John Hill Morgan, presenting the views of Mr. Herbert L. Pratt, Chairman of the Committee on Portrait Gallery, was read: "Dear Sir: "Your letter of November 28, addressed to Mr. Herbert L. Pratt was sent to me by Mr. Pratt's secretary. Mr. Pratt is at the present time on his way to India. "I am a member of a committee which Mr. Pratt appointed which I understand has no official standing but was merely appointed by him as advisory to him. Mr. Pratt and I have many times discussed the question of a movement for a National Portrait Gallery and to that end I obtained for him from Mr. Milner a copy of the rules and regulations of the National Portrait Gallery in London. We are inclined to agree that the most effective plan would be a National Portrait Gallery endowed by private funds but under the joint control of a self-perpetuating board plus officials of the Government. Portraits only to be included of statesmen, etc., who have passed away. "This is an entirely informal letter to you and not in the nature of a report. What Mr. Pratt would say I do not know but this is how the matter stands in my mind. (Signed) "John Hill Morgan." [[initialed]] CDW [[/initialed]]
