Description:

The Australian Academy of Art Archive,
A collection of Letters written between 1936-1940 by artists of the day discussing the proposal to establish the Academy. The Australian Academy of Art was established in Canberra in 1937 with Robert Menzies (then Attorney-General) as its inaugural chair. Its aims were modelled on those of the British Academy, organising annual exhibitions and acting as an 'expert body' on artistic matters. Efforts to obtain a royal charter were opposed by a number of artist societies of the day. The last annual exhibition was held in 1947.
Amongst the 50 listed Foundation members of the Academy was James R Jackson & Sydney Ure Smith. A number of Sydney artists established a break away group as a protest, included was Squire Morgan (then president of the Painters-Etchers & Graphic Art Society of Australia) & Sydney Long.
This collection of over forty letters includes original letters & copies.
TLs & ALs between Squire Morgan, Sydney Long & Sydney Ure Smith (then President of The Society of Artists), TLs from Julian Ashton to Squire Morgan, TLs from Lister Lister to W.B.McInnes, copies of letters from Robert G Menzies to Australian Art Society, Squire Morgan's handwritten notes and draft letters.
Also Included is the original Petition signed by 90 artists objecting to the granting of a Royal Charter to the Academy, artists include Sydney Long, Lister Lister, Squire Morgan, Neville Cayley, Albert Sherman, B.E.Minns etc, all signatures ink and include address.
A copy of the NSW Government Act No.54, 1899 to incorporate the trustees of the Public Library and National Art Gallery, Reprinted 1937, Sydney Government Printer, 11pp
Two Catalogues - First Exhibition April, 1938 + Third Exhibition March-April 1940
Miscellaneous photograph portraits in an envelope with note 'Photos from Squire Morgans house', includes cabinet portraits c.1885 & a portrait of Ure Smith + a leaf from family bible listing deaths in the Morgan family 1866-1903, Squire Morgans invitation to the opening of Sydney Harbour Bridge, torn into four, newspaper clippings etc



PROVENANCE:
Collection of James R Jackson (1882-1975)
The Estate of Dora Toovey (1898-1986), thence by descent

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