File:Tripler Hall, American Art-Union prizes.jpg

English: Caption: "Distribution of the American Art-Union Prizes, in Tripler Hall, New York". The accompanying article reads, in its entirety:

Never (says our New York Correspondent), not even on the nights of the "Nightingale" has the capacity of Tripler Hall been more fully tested than on the 20th of December, the evening appointed for the distribution of the American Art-Union prizes. The immense floor (25 feet wider than Exeter Hall), the aisles, and the galleries, before the stage, and beside the doors, were crowded to excess. There was not a foot to spare. Surely the Fine Arts are not entirely neglected in the third city on the globe (late census gives New York 750,000); when the largest bodies ever congregated under a roof have been allured there by the charms of music and painting. On the present occcasion, the Art-Union distributed 1000 prizes, 400 of which were paintings, the residue being bronze statuettes, medals, &c.; besides which, each of its 16,500 subscribers will receive a large engraving and five smaller ones, in size similar to Darley's Outlines, distributed last year. The meeting was opened by an address from its very popular president, A. M. Cozzens, Esq.; a report from the Executive Committee was then presented; after which, the treasurer, G. W. Austin, Esq., read his report, which was succeeded by the most important business of the evening—that is, the drawing of the numbers; and it was curious to one disinterested to watch the eagerness of the spectators to hear in what part of the continent some favourite picture of Cole, Kensett, or Casilear had fallen, as they were thus being sown broadcast over the land, and notice how they would give vent to their applause if it happened to be some public institution or lady fair that carried away the prize. The large revenue of the Art-Union, greater than that of any similar institution, must give it great power, whether for good or evil; and, although in the United States there are some individuals that cannot decide as to which side the balance lies, yet in the business part of its management all parties seem to agree that it is conducted with all that energy and enterprise that has become proverbial of the American people.