page break

The Art-Union of Victoria

Instituted 1872.

Report of the Council

For the Season 1879.

Submitted to the Members at the Annual Meeting, 12th September, 1879.

The Council of the Art-Union of Victoria has great pleasure in submitting to the subscribers their Seventh Annual Report and Balance-sheet.

Your Council has to report that, notwithstanding the great financial depression which has extended over the whole of the past twelve months, the success of your Society has been greater than might have been anticipated. In 1878 the number of subscriptions was 1201; they number this year 1211. Until within a few days of the drawing of the prizes, it was feared there would be a great falling-off in the number of subscribers, but owing to some members of your Council having personally solicited subscriptions from those gentlemen who had refused their usual support, a gratifying response was the result.

A decided improvement has been made in the production of this year's chromo. The spirit of the original picture has been faithfully preserved, and the technical qualities of the plate are all that could be desired. All previous efforts have been surpassed, and many good judges affirm that the chromo could not be produced in Europe in a better style. This result is extremely gratifying to the Council; and it is hoped that this measure of success will induce the subscribers to make known to their friends the aims and objects of the Society, in order that a much larger subscription-list may be obtained next year.

With a view to making the presentation pictures as varied and attractive as possible, and in order to stimulate and foster other art processes of reproduction, inquiries were instituted, and suggestions were solicited from photographers and others, through the daily press, but without leading to any practical result. Photographs, large enough to be attractive, as compared with chromo-lithographs, were found to be too expensive. Copperplate engraving was ascertained to be impossible under the circumstances; and, therefore, your Council has decided to adopt chromo-lithography as the method to be used in the production of the plate to be presented to the subscribers for the year 1880. The subject is a cattle piece—" The Last of the Drove"—and is thoroughly characteristic of Australia. The picture from which the chromo is being produced is an oil painting, by Mr. W. Ford, Vice-President of the Victorian Academy of Arts. It is an extremely clever work of art, and will enhance his already high reputation. It is now being chromo-lithographed, in the first style of the art, by Messrs. Sands and M'Dougall, whose artist, Mr. Ludwig Lang, promises to excel all his previous efforts. The chromo will be ready for delivery early in 1880.

Your Council has had under consideration the desirability of extending the operations of the Art-Union, and with that view, has appointed Mr. G. J. M'Caul, 27 Walbrook, London, as your agent for Great Britain. He is an amateur artist of repute, a member of the Langham Sketching Club, a well-known business man, and an old Victorian. It is hoped, by his advocacy, that a considerable number of subscribers will be obtained among Australians resident, and others, in England, and that it will become known that in Australia the refining influence of art is not forgotten. A page 5 number of surplus copies of the publications of your Society have also been sent to Mr, M'Caul for sale in England, Negotiations have also been opened up for their sale in America.

The general character of the pictures at the Art Academy's Exhibition this year showed an advance on former efforts. Although there were no exceptionally good works, still, as a whole, they reached a higher level than before. More earnest study was apparent, and a loftier tone was aimed at. It is hoped that the encouragement given to artists by the Art-Union will stimulate them to increased efforts, and that the next Exhibition will show a marked advance on all previous ones. As a rule, artists exhibit a great amount of apathy in obtaining subscriptions for the Society, and, with a few exceptions, do little or nothing to assist us. Your Council has forwarded a set of the publications of the Society to the New South Wales International Exhibition, which will be opened in a few days, and has taken steps to insure a good position for them in the Victorian Court.

Upon a comparison of the accounts now submitted with those of previous seasons, it will be observed that considerable economies have been effected in the items of expenses, and that your Council has been thus enabled to devote an increased proportion of the revenue to the encouragement of art. The expenses proper to this year are £332 15s. 6d., against £353 last year; and the value of the prizes and cbromos is £1011 16s., against £849 5s. 4d. for last year. Now that the Art-Union is better known and appreciated, your Council hopes to be able to effect further savings, without injury to the success of the Society.

Your Council recommends to the Annual Meeting that the Rules be amended, by providing "That if any artist shall pay, or agree to pay, any money (other than the ordinary commission charged by the Academy) with the view to induce the selection of one of his or her works, the amount so paid, or agreed to be paid, shall be deducted by the Art-Union from the amount of the prize when paying it to the artist."

The agents of the Society have again given valuable assistance in augmenting the subscriptions. Mr. Baird, of Ballarat, heads the list, closely followed by several others.

R. Twentyman, President.

The annual general meeting of the Society was held at the office, 78 Collins-street West, Melbourne, on Friday, the 12th September, 1879; Mr. Robert Wallen, Vice-President, in the chair.

The annual Report and Balance-sheet having been read by the Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer respectively, were, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. A. C. Macdonald, adopted and ordered to be printed for circulation among the members.

On the motion of Mr. W. H. Jarrett, seconded by the Chairman, the following new Rule was adopted:—"If any artist shall pay, or agree to pay, any money (other than the ordinary commission charged by the Academy) with the view to induce the selection of one of his or her works, the amount so paid, or agreed to be paid, shall be deducted by the Art-Union from the amount of the prize when paying it to the artist."

The Council and Officers for the ensuing year were then elected, and the meeting closed with the customary votes of thanks. In acknowledging the latter, the Chairman expressed his belief that the prospects of Art in Victoria were never better than now, instancing the settlement in Melbourne of Mr. Folinsbee the artist, the Messrs. Ashton, and Mr. Murcott, a highly-trained teacher from the South Kensington School of Art.

Subscribers who have omitted to call for their chromos can obtain them on presenting their receipts to Messrs. Sands and M'Dougall, Collins-street West, Melbourne.