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The year 1958 marks the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Henry Ward Ranger, N.A. whose vision and benefaction has been a unique and major contribution in supporting and furthering the American tradition in painting. It is doubly significant that this benefaction should come from one of America's distinguished artists.

The intention of Mr. Ranger was not of a charitable nature to benefit the artist alone, but it was to insure the perpetuity of significant works by American artists to be viewed by the public in permanent institutions.

Since the inception of the Bequest in 1919, 225 pictures have been purchased through the Ranger Fund at the cost of $384,540 and allocated to 148 public institutions throughout the United States, 25 pictures having been reclaimed, according to the terms of the will, by the National Collection of Fine Arts in Washington.

Pictures have been presented not only to most of the major museums and smaller institutions, but also, ultimately, through the selection of pictures made by the Smithsonian Institution, the conditions of the Bequest assure an accumulating representation of American painting in the National Collection of Fine Arts for all time.

Henry Ward Ranger bequeathed to the National Academy of Design his entire residuary estate amounting to nearly $400,000.

The conditions pertaining to the administration of the Bequest are explicitly stated in Mr. Ranger's will: The principal of the Bequest is

"To be kept invested and the income thereof to be spent by the Council of said Academy in purchasing paintings produced by American Artists, at least two-thirds of such income to be spent in the purchase of works by artists who are forty-five years of age or over, it remaining optional with the Council to spend the remaining  one-third or any part thereof in the purchase of works by younger artists.

"All pictures so purchased are to be given by the Council to Art Institutions in America, or to any library or other institutions in America maintaining a gallery open to the public, all such gifts to be upon the express condition that the National Gallery at Washington, administered by the Smithsonian Institution, shall have the option and right, without cost, to take, reclaim and own any picture for their collection, provided they exercise such option and right at any time during the five-year period beginning ten years after the artist's death and ending fifteen years after his death, and, if such option and right is not exercised during such period, the picture shall remain and be the property of the institution to which it was first given.

"The words, 'America' and 'American' as used above shall be construed as equivalent to North America and North American respectively."

In this Centennial Exhibition the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academy of Design join in honoring the memory of Henry Ward Ranger in grateful tribute to his far-seeing vision and munificent benefaction.

ELIOT CLARK, P.N.A.