APPENDIX 3 

 Report on the National Collection of Fine Arts 



Ser : I have the honor to submit the following report on the activities 

 of the National Collection of Fine Arts for the fiscal year ended 

 June 30, 1952: 



THE SMITHSONIAN ART COMMISSION 



The twenty-ninth annual meeting of the Smithsonian Art Commis- 

 sion was held in the Regents' Room of the Smithsonian Building on 

 Tuesday, December 4, 1951. The members present were : Paul Man- 

 ship, chairman; Alexander Wetmore, secretary (member, ex officio) ; 

 Robert Woods Bliss, Gilmore D. Clarke, George H. Edgell, David 

 E. Finley, George Hewitt Myers, Archibald Wenley, Lawrence Grant 

 White, Andrew Wyeth, and Mahonri Young. Thomas M. Beggs, 

 Director, National Collection of Fine Arts, and Paul V. Gardner, 

 curator of ceramics, National Collection of Fine Arts, were also 

 present. 



The Commission recommended the reelection of George H. Edgell, 

 Lloyd Goodrich, and Lawrence Grant White for the usual 4-year 

 period. As James E. Fraser had been unable to attend the meetings 

 for several years, his status was changed to that of member emeritus. 

 The secretary was instructed to send a letter on behalf of the Com- 

 mission expressing thanks for Mr. Fraser's services and a desire for 

 his presence at its future meetings. The Commission recommended 

 to the Board of Regents the appointment of Walker Hancock to 

 membership. 



The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Paul 

 Manship, chairman; Robert Woods Bliss, vice chairman, and Dr. 

 Alexander Wetmore, secretary. The following were elected members 

 of the executive committee for the ensuing year: David E. Finley, 

 chairman, Robert Woods Bliss, Gilmore D. Clarke, and George Hewitt 

 Myers. Paul Manship, as chairman of the Commission, and Dr. 

 Alexander Wetmore, as secretary of the Commission, are ex officio 

 members of the executive committee. 



Mr. Beggs reported that gifts received during 1951 include a fund 

 established by Mrs. Laura Dreyfus-Barney for the purpose of main- 

 taining a lending collection to advance the appreciation and creation 

 ■ of art throughout the United States. The capital of $15,000 is to 



41 



