324 The Smithsonian Institution 



ethnological collection and only on deposit in the Institution, 

 formed an important part of what (with frequent apologies) 

 was called "the gallery of art," the attempts to form an art 

 collection of merit received discouragement. The reconstruc- 

 tion of the building, made necessary by the fire, led to a new 

 assignment of rooms for the ethnological collections. Pre- 

 vious to the fire the upper story had been used principally as 

 a lecture-room, but the interest in lectures flagging for a 

 time, it was determined after the reconstruction to place the 

 ethnological collections in that portion of the building, but 

 the transfer was not effected until several years later. 



Though the formation of an art gallery was provided for 

 in the organization of the Institution and a few art objects 

 came into the possession of the government from time to 

 time, Professor Henry took the position at an early day that 

 with the funds available the establishment of an art collection 

 worthy of the name was impossible. When Mr. W. W. Cor- 

 coran first took active steps toward the formation of the 

 "Corcoran Art Gallery" in 1869, Henry recommended that 

 art objects belonging to the Institution should be deposited 

 therein. In 1873 tne Board of Regents approved the plan, 

 and in the following year a few paintings, sculptures, and 

 engravings were transferred. 



In the early days of the Institution the valuable collection 

 of engravings made by Honorable George P. Marsh was pur- 

 chased (the only large purchase by the Institution in the 

 direction of art), and soon after the fire in the Smithsonian 

 building it was transferred to the Library of Congress. 



By 1874, therefore, the Institution had definitely aban- 

 doned all efforts toward the establishment of an art gallery, 

 and though some few objects connected with the fine arts 

 have come under its care in later years, they have never 

 been assembled so as to form a proper "gallery." 



