ARTICLE I. THE institution shall be called the COLUMBIANUM, OR AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PAINTING, SCULP­TURE, ARCHITECTURE, AND ENGRAVING; and shall consist of Amateurs and Artists: But the number of Amateurs shall not exceed one half of the whole number of Artists in the Society.

ART. II. The Society shall meet on the first day of January (except it be on Sunday, then on the day fol­lowing) in every year, between the hours of two and [Page 4] five in the afternoon at the place of their usual meet­ings.—The following Officers shall be chosen by ballot —notice of which shall be given by Advertisements in three or more newspapers, at least one week before the day of election, viz.

• One President,
• One Treasurer,
• One Secretary,
• Twelve Directors,
• A Master of the Academy,
• A Professor of Perspective,
• A Professor of Architecture,
• A Professor of Anatomy,
• A Professor of Painting,
• A Professor of Sculpture,
• A Professor of Engraving,
• A Professor of Chemistry, and
• A Committee of Correspondence consisting of five mem­bers.

RULES For the government of the Election of Officers of the Aca­demy shall be as follow, viz.

Before opening the Election, the company that shall be met at half an hour after two, shall appoint three members of those present, as Judges of the Election; and also two Clerks for taking down the names of the voters.

[Page 5]And in case of an equality of votes for any officer, after casting up the ballots, the decision shall be by lots, to be drawn by one of the Judges.

ART. III. The ordinary meetings of this society shall be on the first and third Mondays of October, Novem­ber, December, January, February, March, April and May, at 6 o'clock in the evening, and on the first and third Mondays of the other four months at 7 o'clock in the evenings.

No meeting shall be continued after 10 o'clock, nor any new matter be introduced by motion or otherwise, after 9 o'clock.

ART. IV. No question shall be put on a motion un­less the motion be seconded; and the determination of any question shall be by ballot, instead of open suffrage, if desired by any four members. In case of an equa­lity of votes on any question, when done by ballot, then the same shall be deferred to another meeting— but if the votes be taken by open suffrage and an equa­lity of votes appear, then the President or Chairman may give the casting vote.

ART. V. The election of new members shall be by ballot, at the first meeting of each month—and in order to such election at least 16 members shall be present. Any member may at any meeting, propose such person or persons as he thinks proper, as an Ama­teur, [Page 6] but if an Artist, his qualifications in some of the arts embraced in this Constitution shall be made known, and a specimen shall be produced as proof of the same —But no person shall be balloted for, unless his name, together with the names of the member or members who proposed him, have been fixed up for the view of the society at the two meetings preceding the time of election: nor shall any person be deemed duly chosen unless three fourths of the votes of the whole number of members met, be in his favour. For the members so elected, certificates shall be made out and forwarded to such new members by the committee of Corres­pondence.

ART. VI. Every new member hereafter to be elected agreeable to the laws of this association, shall pay into the hands of the Treasurer one dollar admission-money —and also the yearly payment of two dollars, to be applied by the society to such purposes as they shall direct; and no member shall be entitled to a vote in the annual election of officers, unless it appears that he has paid into the hands of the Treasurer the said sums.

ART. VII. That a set of Rules for the keeping of order in the society shall be hung up in the room where the society hold their meetings.

ART. VIII. No part of the funds of the society shall be disposed of in premiums or otherwise, unless the same has been agreed to by two-thirds of the 16 or [Page 7] more members present at a subsequent meeting—Nor shall any new law be made until the same has been proposed at one meeting, and agreed to by a like ma­jority.

ART. IX. An exhibition of Paintings, Sculptures, Models and Drawings of every kind, &c. shall be opened on the first day of May, every year, to be kept open for the inspection of the Public every day, Sun­days excepted, during the space of 6 weeks, from seven o'clock in the morning to the setting of the sun. And no Paintings shall have a place in this exhibition ex­cept done by the modern Artists, and which have not been before exhibited in any public exhibition in the United States of America, nor any copies of any kind received, except those done in enamel. Persons not belonging to the Columbianum may exhibit their works in this Exhibition, and shall be stiled in it's catalogue Honorary Exhibitors—And such exhibitors, as well as those of the society and students, may view the rooms free of expence, during the period of exhibition. The members of the society who have their works in the exhibition may bring their wives and children to visit the same free of expence. N. B. All pictures to be framed.—The price of admission to view this exhibi­tion shall be regulated at the last meeting of the so­ciety, previous to the opening of the said exhibition.

ART. X. That at the ordinary meeting on the first Monday in April, annually, seven members shall be appointed as a committee to receive such Paintings as [Page 8] may be offered for the exhibition, and who shall have authority to judge whether they come within the des­cription as stated in the preceding article, and to reject those which they may judge not deserving a place in the exhibition; also another committee of three mem­bers who shall have the sole authority of hanging the Paintings, Drawings, Prints, &c. placing the Sculp­tures, Models, &c. so as to produce the best effect.

ART. XI. That a collection of plaister figures and models be provided, and placed in a convenient room or rooms, where young artists may be permitted to draw from them under such rules and regulations as the society may from time to time ordain.

ART. XII. That a room be also provided and fitted up with lamps, stoves and other conveniences for the accommodation of pupils in their drawings from living subjects, under such rules and regulations as the society may think necessary to ordain▪ and which shall be opened from November to March inclusive.

ART. XIII. That a gallery of the Paintings, &c. of the ancient masters be opened, when the Society by donation or otherwise possess such a collection as they may think useful to young artists, or worthy the atten­tion of the public—And that a room be provided for such exhibition, to be kept open throughout the year for the admission of visitors on such terms and at such periods as the society may occasionlly order.

[Page 9]ART. XIV. In case the President should be absent at the hour of commencing business of any stated or other meeting, a Chairman may be chosen who shall have the same authority as the President in all cases.

ART. XV. That blank leaves may be bound up with this constitution to receive the signatures of members at their admission headed as follows, viz.

"In testimony of our membership and willingness to conform ourselves to the rules, laws, regulations and ordinances of the Society, from time to time exist­ing and that we will on all occasions use our endeavours to promote the peace, interest, and honour of the same —We have hereto subscribed our names.—

ART. XVI. When the funds of the society shall be found sufficient to provide a library, containing such books, drawings, prints, &c. as they may judge neces­sary for the improvement of the students or others in the fine arts—then a room shall be provided for that purpose.

ART. XVII. Amateurs who shall have paid to the Treasurer ten dollars or more, shall have the privilege of visiting the gallery and exhibition of the Academy, and attend at the lectures, and have the use of the library free of further expence during a year from the time of such payment. Diplomas shall be made out for them expressing their annual subscriptions, and whatever do­nations they have made to the Academy.

[Page 10]ART. XVIII. In case of death or removal of any of the officers aforesaid, a special meeting of the society shall be called by the President or Secretary, and some other person or persons, are then to be elected to fill up the vacancy occasioned by such death or removal, provided that two weeks notice in not less than three of the Philadelphia newspapers shall have been given thereof prior to such meeting.

ART. XIX. Whatever additional Professors may in future be found necessary to perfect the arts embraced in this Institution, may be added by the society in due form assembled, and if by an increase of population and wealth in the United States, this Academy should find it necessary to make additional offices and officers in the Institution, not heretofore described, it may be done by the society in full Assembly convened expressly for that purpose.

ART. XX. That the society shall have one common seal.

ART. XXI. That no part of this constitution shall be altered or abrogated, unless proposed at one of the meetings in February, and laid over for consideration at least three months, where the concurrence of three fourths of the society shall be necessary for such revision.

[Page 11] I. Duties of the President.

He is to preside at all meetings, to preserve order, regulate the debates, and state the questions agreeable to the sense and intention of the members—and shall at one of the meetings in October deliver an oration before the society and the students in the arts (on in­vitation to them) such as he may think proper for pro­moting the views of this Institution.

II. Duties of the Treasurer.

The Treasurer shall receive the subscriptions of the members and all other moneys that may be offered or become due to the society, and shall pay the same agree­able to their orders, certified to him by the President or Chairman for the time being.

The Treasurer shall keep a regular account of all moneys received and paid by him as aforesaid; and once every year or oftener if required by the society he shall render a full account of the particular receipts and disbursement and of the stock in his hands, and shall deliver up to his successor, the books, papers, and other property belonging to them, together with the balance of cash in his hands. And for the faithful discharge of his trust, he shall, before he enters on his office, give bond and security to the President of the society in double the sum, which the President judges [Page 12] he may probable become entrusted with during his said office.

III. Duties of the Secretary.

The Secretary shall take down in writing the trans­actions of the society, and read all letters and papers that may be communicated to it. It is also the busi­ness of the Secretary to copy into the minute book the proceedings of the society, in order to produce the same fair to the next meeting. He is further to copy into the proper books all such letters, papers, and essays, as the society may think fit to preserve on record, and to have the same ready to be laid before the society at all meetings, and shall countersign all papers issued by the society, and he may employ assistants as occasion may require.

IV. Duties of the Directors.

That one of the directors with the master of the aca­demy shall attend weekly in rotation, during the months that the room for studying in and drawing from living subjects is kept open—and the Director is to fix the figures, &c. and when the pupils are permitted to enter the room shall stay during the evening to preserve order and [...]ive advice to such pupils as may desire assistance.

V. Corresponding Committee.

This committee besides the ordinary duties of Cor­responding with Artists in America or Europe, shall [Page 13] have the drawing up of all public addresses which on all occasions they shall lay before the society for their approbation and concurrence.

VI. Duties of the Master of the Academy.

The Master shall have under his care all the pro­perty of the society contained in the Academy—he shall place the figures which are to be drawn from in the rooms of plaister figures and attend the pupils for the purpose of giving instruction and keeping order. He shall keep the figures, paintings and drawings free from dust, and do such other duties as may be thought proper by the Directors in office.

VII. Duties of the Professor of Painting.

The Professor of Painting is yearly to give two lectures on painting at such periods as may be conve­nient to himself before the society and the students of the Academy.

VIII. Duties of the Professor of Anatomy.

The Professor of Anatomy is to deliver each year six lectures on anatomy on such parts only as are neces­sary for the information of Painters and Sculptors.

IX. Duties of the Professor of Sculpture.

He is to deliver one lecture per annum on such parts of that art as may differ from the art of painting.

[Page 14] X. Duty of the Professor of Engraving.

The Professor of Engraving shall deliver one lecture per annum on that branch of the arts.

XI. Duty of the Professor of Chymistry.

He is to give one lecture on such branches of that science as may respect the durability or formation of colours, and other compositions which may be useful to painters.

XII. Duties of the Professor of Architecture.

He is to deliver four lectures per annum on that science.

XIII. Duty of the Professor of Perspective.

He is to deliver one lecture per annum on that subject.