Report of the Council

For the Season 1880.

Submitted to the Members at the Annual Meeting, 10th. September, 1880.

"Your Council is sorry to report that a serious diminution in the number of subscribers has taken place as compared with last year. The number for this year is 889, while last year they numbered 1211. This is owing to widespread commercial depression and curtailed incomes. But for the liberality of Mr. D. M'Dougall, of the firm of Messrs. Sands and M'Dougall, who, in the most generous spirit, presented £100 towards the prize fund, your Society would have been unable to distribute so many prizes as fell to the lot of the subscribers. Mr. M'Dougall has, in many ways, shown himself to be a true patron of art, and notably so in the presentation of the fine picture, "No Surrender," to the National Gallery. The chromo-lithographs issued as presentation pictures to the subscribers have given general satisfaction, and they are acknowledged to be executed in the best style. With the object, however, of giving variety to the presentation work of art, your Council, after very considerable thought and attention, has determined to issue in book form to each subscriber Mr. Henry Kendall's poem "Orara," which is an imaginative and able production, and shows him to be a poet of high order. It is thoroughly Australian in subject and treatment. Your Society has purchased the copyright. Commissions to illustrate passages in the poem were offered to some of the leading artists in these colonies. The other drawings were thrown open to competition by public advertisement, and all the known artists were communicated with by post and invited to compete. There was a gratifying response, and your Council has much pleasure in informing you that thirteen beautiful drawings on wood, 9 in. by 6½ in., have been selected, and are now in the engraver's hands. They will be executed in the best style, and every exertion will be made to produce such a book of artistic illustrations as has never been attempted south of the line. If sufficient inducement offers, an edition de luxe will be prepared as additional prizes. Your Council with great pleasure report that the presentation pictures of your Society were adjudged a certificate of merit by the Commissioners of the Sydney Exhibition. A large number of good pictures were shown this year at the Exhibition of the Victorian Academy of Arts. The students attending the classes for drawing from the life show great earnestness, and the School is self-supporting. Some of the students already show proofs of the advantage of drawing from the human figure, and a number of very page 5 promising pupils of both sexes are now attending the Schools. When it is considered that this gratifying result is due to the exertions of the members of the Academy of Arts, unaided by Government patronage or monetary assistance, it must be conceded that they are deserving of praise and support. The accounts furnished by the hon. treasurer (Mr. Jarrett) show that the expenses are £283 12s. 5d., as against £332 15s. 6d. last year, and the value of prizes and chromos is £692 13s., as against £1011 16s. for last year. The copyright of the poem to be presented with illustrations in 1881 has been paid for, and a balance of £66 11s. has been carried to next season.