54 
THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 
In the same year an offer by the trustees of the Philadelphia 
Bank of the United States to sell 208 portraits of Revolutionary 
worthies and other distinguished men was declined by the 
Board of Regents, since it was not in their power, consistently 
“with the existing arrangements and obligations to apply their 
funds to such an acquisition.” 
184.9 
MARSH COLLECTION OF PRINTS 
In 1849 the Institution made its first purchase for the art 
department, obtaining from the Hon. George Perkins Marsh, 
of Vermont, his entire “collection of theoretical, historical, 
descriptive and critical works on the fine arts, of galleries and 
illustrated works (where the text is published for the sake of 
the illustrations of fine or decorative art), and of engravings 
and etchings.” It comprised several hundred portfolios and 
bound volumes, besides some separate pieces. The amount 
paid was $3,000, but during the six decades which have since 
elapsed the value of the collection has increased many fold. 
The following general account of the collection is from the 
report of Mr. C. C. Jewett, assistant secretary in charge of the 
library, for 1850: 
“The collection of engravings and works upon the history 
of art, has attracted much interest; not from undiscriminating 
idlers, but from men of taste, and particularly from artists. 
This collection, though not the largest in the country, is be- 
lieved to be the choicest. It was made by an American gentle- 
man, distinguished as a scholar no less than as a statesman, 
with the special design of illustrating the progress and resources 
of the art of engraving in all its branches, from its early masters 
to the present time. It was the work of many years to gather 
specimens, so rare and beautiful. It required an educated eye, 
a cultivated taste, an earnest study of the history of art, much 
diligent search, and the aid of many friends and correspondents, 
to bring together so many of the most valuable prints which 
have ever been executed. The acquisition of this collection 
has saved to the Institution all expenditure, either of time or 
money, for skill and labor thus bestowed. The saving of 
