The total amount of sales, cousiderably the largest reached by this, or, 

 indeed, any provincial Exhibition, is very gratifying. The constant access of 

 fresh purchasers shows that a taste and a demand are being created, which, 

 without these Exhibitions, might not have existed at all. The Committee 

 have been solicitous to maintain the Exhibition as a medium to enable artists 

 to come into actual communication with purchasers, and are very anxious to 

 discourage any pictures being offered for sale which are not the bond fide pro- 

 perty of the artist. 



The Committee found, on their visit to Loudon last spring, that an impres- 

 sion seemed to prevail there that an alteration in the management of the Exhi- 

 bition was pi'obable ; and this impression, until removed, appeared to produce a 

 very prejudicial effect among metropolitan artists. It is, therefore, desirable, in 

 order to prevent any possible misconception, to state that no change has been 

 in contemplation by the Committee, and that it is intended to open the next 

 Exhibition to the public the first Monday in September, and to close it the 

 first Saturday in December, 18 75. 



The Exhibition was closed on December 5th by a soiree, to which were 

 invited the Members of the Council, the contributing artists, the purchasers of 

 pictures, and lovers of Art in general. Every department was thrown open, 

 and in the Library-rooms a large assortment of illustrated works was arranged 

 for inspection. The valuable Mather collection of Napoleon miniatures and 

 medals attracted much attention. 



The following donations have been presented during the year to this depart- 

 ment : — 



Five Engravings from Paintings by J. M. W. Turner, R.A. Presented by 

 Messrs. T. Agnew and Sons. 



A Mezzo-Tint Copper Plate, engraved by J. M. W. Turner, R.A., of " The 

 Felucca," with the first proof. (Only thirty impressions in all have been taken 

 from the copper. This plate was intended for the Liher Studiorum.) Pre- 

 sented by Mr. W. S. Caine, 



A collection of 165 "small Medallions, representing copies of existing works 

 in various European cabinets. Presented by Mr. J. L. Cattrall, per Mr. 

 James Samuelson. 



A chromo-lithograph of Rivington Pike (from the original painting by F. W 

 Hulme in the possession of the Corporation). Presented by Mr. Percy L. 

 Isaac. 



