[PREFACE]
This catalogue describes the paintings in the Gallery of Art of The New York Historical Society, with two hundred and eighty-six miniatures, comprising the Marié Collection and seventy-six objects of Sculpture.
The New York Gallery of Fine Arts, presented to the Society in 1858, with paintings donated to the Society at various times, are numbered 1 to 488 inclusive. Any notice of this collection would be deficient which should fail to commemorate the name of Luman Reed, Patron of American Art. In this connection the Society was chiefly indebted to the liberality and cordial coöperation of one of their most valued members, who was himself the chief promoter of the original design of the New York Gallery of Fine Arts, Mr. Jonathan Sturges.
The Bryan Collection, presented to the Society in 1867 by the late Thomas J. Bryan, numbers three hundred and eighty-one paintings and are designated by the letter B. before each number.
The Durr Collection, presented to the Society in 1882 by the executors of the late Louis Durr, numbers, with subsequent additions, one hundred and eighty-one paintings, which are designated by the letter D. before each number.
Short biographical sketches of deceased artists represented in the above collections have been added, together with indexes to Artists, portraits and donors.
The Marié Collection of miniatures is arranged alphabetically by subjects and is not included in the index of portraits.