Report on the National Collection of 

 Fine Arts 



Sir : 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 

 30,1957: 



SMITHSONIAN ART COMMISSION 



The 34th annual meeting of the Smithsonian Art Commission was 

 held in the Regents Room of the Smithsonian Building on Tuesday, 

 December 4, 1956. Members present were : Paul Manship, chairman ; 

 Robert Woods Bliss, vice chairman ; Leonard Carmichael, secretary ; 

 John Nicholas Brown, Gilmore D. Clarke, David E. Finley, Lloyd 

 Goodrich, Bartlett H. Hayes, Stow Wengenroth, Archibald G. Wen- 

 ley, Andrew Wyeth, and Mahonri Young. Thomas M. Beggs, Direc- 

 tor, and Paul Vickers Gardner, curator of ceramics, National Collec- 

 tion of Fine Arts, were also present. 



Mr. Bliss, Mr. Goodrich, and Mr. Hayes commented favorably upon 

 the progress of the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service and 

 its satisfactory relationship to other organizations in respect to the 

 circulation of exhibitions. Mr. Beggs stated that when funds are 

 available it will be desirable for the National Collection of Fine Arts 

 to organize for circulation exhibitions combining artistic and scientific 

 material from Smithsonian collections. It was reported that, although 

 Department of State contracts had been vital to the Service initially, 

 these have diminished in size and the Service is now self-supporting. 



A resolution on the death of Lawrence Grant White, a member of 

 the Commission from 1950 to the time of his resignation March 2, 1956, 

 was read and unanimously adopted. 



The chairman stated that the field of architecture was unrepresented 

 on the Commission for a term expiring in 1959, owing to the resigna- 

 tion of Mr. White. The Commission then recommended to the Board 

 of Regents the name of Douglas Orr to fill the vacancy. 



The Commission also recommended the reappointment of David E. 

 Finley, Paul Manship, Charles H. Sawyer, and Archibald Wenley, for 

 the usual 4-year period. 



The following officers were elected for the ensuing year : Paul Man- 

 ship, chairman; Robert Woods Bliss, vice chairman; and Leonard 

 Carmichael, secretary. 



Dr. Finley, chairman of the executive committee, reported that 

 this committee had not met during the year. 



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