THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 581 



To say that this acquisition raised the department of art to a stand- 

 ard, if not to a size, appropriate to a National Gallery would be but 

 a feeble expression of its import, or of that of the court's decision. 

 The generous act of Mrs. Johnston and the court's ruling met with 

 spontaneous and gratifying approbation in all parts of the country, 

 and the gifts which it has led to up to the present time have ex- 

 ceeded the most extravagent expectations. 



The national collections have increased rapidly, chiefly through 

 gifts and bequests of art works by patriotic citizens. Until the 

 beginning of the year 1920-21, no appropriation had been made for 

 the gallery or for the purchase of art works, and no provision for 

 the employment of a salaried curator or other employees of the 

 galler}'^, all works of art being associated with the department of 

 anthropology of the National Museum. 



Fortunately a liberal private fund became available in 1919 for 

 the increase of the collections. The will of the late Henry Ward 

 Ranger provided the sum of $200,000, the interest of which is to be 

 devoted to the purchase of works of art for the National Gallery, 

 the carrying out of the bequest being intrusted to the National 

 Academy of Design. The provision is as follows : 



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 

 Institute, 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 10 years after the 

 artist's death and ending 15 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. 



By the action of the Sixty-sixth Congress in providing " for the 

 administration of the National Gallery of Art by the Smithsonian 

 Institution, including compensation of necessary employees and 

 necessary incidental expenses," its connection with the Museum was 

 severed and it became the seventh Government bureau under the 

 administration of the Institution on July 1, 1920. 



On May 27. 1921, the Board of Kegents of the Institution, having 

 the future of the gallery in mind, took the initial steps in the estab- 

 lishment of the National Gallery of Art Commission, formulating a 

 plan of organization and naming a committee of eminent men in- 

 terested in the fine arts to perfect the organization. 



The value of the National Gallery collections already in hand is 

 estimated at several million dollars, their acquirement being due to 

 the generous attitude of American citizens toward the National 

 Gallery of Art. It can hardly be doubted that when a building is 



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