EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY 53 



Secretary of the Institution becoming a member ex officio. The 

 membership at present is as follows : "VV. K. Bixby, Joseph H. Gcst, 

 Charles Moore, James Parmelce, Herbert L. Pratt, John E. Lodge, 

 Frank Jewett Mather, jr., Charles L. Borie, jr., Edward Willis Red- 

 field, James E. Eraser, Edmund C. Tarbell, Daniel Chester French, 

 Herbert Adams, Gari Melchers, "William H. Holmes, and C. G. Abbot, 

 ex officio. 



The Regents' plan provided for two or more meetings of the com- 

 mission per year, but it was soon found that a single meeting only 

 was necessary to look after the aifairs and to consider the problems 

 of the gallery. Meetings were held annually beginning in 1921, and 

 their proceedings are recorded in the annual reports of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. 



The seventh annual meeting of the commission was held in the 

 Regents' room of the Institution on December 6, 1927. The mem- 

 bers present were Gari Melchers, chairman; Frank J. Mather, jr., 

 vice chairman ; W. H. Holmes, secretary ; Herbert Adams ; James E. 

 Fraser ; John E. Lodge ; James Parmelee ; E. W. Redfield ; and C. G. 

 Abbot, Acting Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The annual report of the secretary of the commission reviewing 

 the activities of the gallery for the calendar year 1927 was then 

 presented. There was Avide discussion of various matters treated in 

 the report, especially (1) the question of the development of a 

 national portrait gallery as a separately conducted branch of the 

 gallery proper, and (2) the possible assemblage in the gallery at a 

 future date of the Ranger-fund purchases now tentatively held by 

 various galleries throughout the country, the National Gallery having 

 the privilege of claiming such of these works, now numbering up- 

 wards of 60, as it may choose, after the lapse of a certain period. 

 The purpose of the proposed assemblage is to enable the commission 

 to keep in touch with the growing collection and to make tentative 

 selection of such works as appear worthy of a place in the National 

 Gallery. On motion of Mr. Adams, it was resolved that in the sense 

 of the meeting it is desirable to hold such an exhibit of the Ranger 

 purchases. On motion, it was further resolved that the Secretary 

 of the Smithsonian Institution be invited to ask the Bureau of the 

 Budget to recommend an appropriation of $1,000 to meet the expenses 

 of the proposed exhibition of the Ranger paintings. 



The secretary presented a request of the National Press Club of 

 Washington for the loan of gallery paintings for the embellishment 

 of the club's reception rooms and principal offices, and after discus- 

 sion, on motion of Mr. Mather, it was Resolved: That it is the policy 

 of the National Gallery of Art not to lend works of art of public 

 ownership to private institutions. 



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