REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 35 



8 new reproductions completed during the year make a total of 23 

 large reproductions offered for sale in the Information Rooms. 



CONSTRUCTION OF NEW GALLERIES 



In keeping with recommendations of the committee on the building 

 and a resolution of the Board of Trustees, it was decided to proceed 

 with the finishing of six new galleries, in order to make available addi- 

 tional exhibition space now required. 



Accordingly, a contract was entered into for the completion, with 

 funds donated for the purpose, of galleries numbered 24, 25, and 26 

 in the west end of the building, in which will be exhibited recent ac- 

 quisitions of paintings and sculpture of Italian schools, and galleries 

 numbered 53, 54, and 55, in the east end of the building, for exhibiting 

 paintings of French and British schools. These galleries will be fur- 

 nished in a manner similar to adjacent gallery rooms, and it is con- 

 templated that the work will be completed in the autumn of 1945. 



RETURN OF WORKS OF ART FROM PROTECTIVE STORAGE IN BILTMORE, N. C. 



It was decided by the Board of Trustees that the works of art in 

 protective storage at Biltmore, N. C, during the period of danger 

 of air raids, should be returned to the National Gallery of Art, and 

 this return was effected on October 17-18, 1944. 



The works of art were brought back to Washington by motor van, 

 under police protection, through the States of North Carolina and 

 Virginia, and the District of Columbia, and the trip was accomplished 

 without damage to any of the works of art. The storage rooms at 

 Biltmore House were closed, and the sum of $10,199.85, which was 

 the unexpended balance in the working fund furnished to the Na- 

 tional Gallery of Art for maintenance of the evacuation center, was 

 returned to the Public Buildings Administration. 



In this same connection, it may be noted that the air raid protective 

 measures in effect in the Gallery building have been discontinued. 



ACQUISITIONS 

 GUTS OF PAINTINGS AND SCOXPTUKE 



During the year the Board of Trustees received from Samuel H. 

 Kress and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation 80 important Italian, 

 French, and Dutch paintings and 26 pieces of sculpture, to be added 

 to the other gifts of paintings and sculpture now in the Gallery. 



On September 25, 1944, the Board of Trustees accepted the portrait 

 of "Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone" by Augustus Vincent Tack from 

 Duncan Phillips, to be placed in the Board Room. On the same date 



