Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/387

 1868.] Practical Carpentry and Joinery. 315 "taken a whole day's journey, to see a "gallery that is furnished by the hands "of great masters. By this means, " when the heavens are filled with clouds, "when the earth swims in rain, and all " nature wears a lowering countenance, "I withdraw myself from these uncom- " fortable scenes into the visionary world "of art, where I meet with shining land- " scapes, gilded triumphs, cheerful faces, "and other objects, that fill the mind "with gay ideas, and disperse that " gloominess, which is apt to hang upon " it, in those dark disconsolate seasons." In Philadelphia there are only four private establishments that can properly ami correctly be styled Picture-Galleries, that is, galleries expressly constructed for the purpose, and with a scrupulous adaptation of the building to its object, viz., the Display of Pictures. There are, in addition, a great number of very valu- able collections of exquisite paintings, bronzes, statuettes and other antique and recent gems; but these cannot properly be included in the number of galleries, as they are generally dis- tributed throughout several apartments in the house ; and there has been no particular construction or arrangement designed for their display. There are a still larger number of gentlemen who may, with great justice, be regarded as real lovers of the Art, who are known to be possessors of some of the most valua- ble and rare chefs d'eeuvres of painting. New York can boast of many more private galleries, collections, and general connoisseurs in the Art, than Philadel- phia. Boston, also, and many other cities in our land, all evince that there is abroad an increasing demand for aesthetic enjoyment, an advancing spirit of the age in art-feeling among the few, and an appreciation for the elegant and the beautiful in art among the many. The mind accustomed only to see slVapes of beauty will insensibly become habitu- ated to them, and imbibe correct im- pressions and a portion of their refine- ment; just as when we dwell amidst elegance and fashion, our ideas will in- variabty derive a coloring from them. We have made the foregoing brief in- troductory remarks, with reference to the Plate, which we herewith give, exhibiting a view of a projected, two- story Picture Gallery, designed iu ac- cordance with a suggestion given us by Joseph Harrison, Esq., a gentleman of much enterprise, well and widely known as one ever ready to lend a helping hand towards the promotion of the Pine Arts, throwing much energy, liberality, and zeal in every channel whereby his labors in the cause can, as a patron, or a bene- factor, be brought to bear. The idea of a Picture Gallery, two or more stories high, as illustrated in the accompanying plate, presented itself to Mr. Harrison during his experience in erecting his present Picture Gallery, which is constructed with a skylight upon the roof, and an inner glass ceiling, through which the light is refracted. The inner sash, or ceiling, is curved to a quadrant, with the glass in the roof above it, arranged to such an angle, that the rays of light are reflected directly upon the line of wall surface designed for pictures. By this means a most desirable and proper light is ob- tained, producing just the effect, upon the display of paintings, that was re- quired ; and through the arrangement of the gas at night, precisely the same effect is obtained, as during the day. At the period of the construction of the present gallery, considerable time a:;d study were bestowed on the arrange- ment and all the derails of the scheme ; no expense was spared to obtain the best, that could be devised ; and, upon its completion, it was pronounced, by all competent judges in art matters, to be as nearly perfect, in adaptation to the purpose for which it was designed, as could possibly be. A slight disadvan- tage was, however, subsequently dis- covered, not in any yvay relating to the manner of the construction, or the prin- ciple of the plan, but entirely arising