34 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 194 5 



In addition to the above-mentioned appropriations, the Gallery re- 

 ceived the sum of $35,000 from the Department of State to cover 

 expenses during the fiscal year of the Inter-American Office of the 

 Gallery for the promotion of art activities between the United States 

 and the Latin American republics. 



ATTENDANCE 



During the year 1945 the Gallery enjoyed the largest annual attend- 

 ance since the building was opened to the public in 1941, the number 

 of visitors being 2,078,739, as compared with 2,060,071 in the fiscal 

 year 1944, or an increase of 18,668. This is an average daily attend- 

 ance of 5,711 visitors, showing the continuing popularity of the Gal- 

 lery. The greatest number of visitors on any one day was 25,023, on 

 Sunday, September 10, 1944. 



Men and women in the armed services are visiting the Gallery in 

 increasing numbers, accounting for approximately 35 percent of the 

 total attendance. For relaxation they make constant use of the Serv- 

 icemen's Room, where writing and reading materials are furnished 

 them. 



The Sunday night openings, together with the Sunday evening con- 

 certs offered free of charge, continued throughout the year and con- 

 tributed to the public's interest. Special exhibitions of contemporary 

 art held during the year, especially art produced by members of the 

 armed services, have been unusually well attended. 



PUBLICATIONS 



The most ambitious project of the Publications Fund of the Gallery 

 since its organization was the publication of the book "Masterpieces of 

 Painting from the National Gallery of Art" in October 1944. The book 

 contains 85 color reproductions of paintings in the Gallery collections, 

 each matched with an interpretive passage from the world's literature, 

 and was edited by Huntington Cairns and John Walker, of the Gallery 

 staff. The public demand for this book has been so great that a second 

 edition is now being printed. 



The Information Rooms of the Gallery continued the policy of fur- 

 nishing moderately priced color reproductions of fine quality, and in- 

 creased the variety of postcards, portfolios, and illustrated catalogs 

 available to the public. A new edition of the General Information 

 booklet, which is of great assistance to visitors and may be obtained 

 without charge upon request at the Information Rooms, was issued 

 during the year. 



Publishers of large collotype reproductions of paintings from the 

 Gallery collections have been gradually adding to their lists, and the 



