Art and Artists.—­An “Academy of Arts” was organised in 1814, and an exhibition of paintings took place in Union Passage that year, but the experiment was not repeated.  A School of Design, or “Society of Arts,” was started Feb. 7, 1821; Sir Robert Lawley (the first Lord Wenlock) presenting a valuable collection of casts from Grecian sculpture.  The first exhibition was held in 1826, at The Panorama, an erection then standing on the site of the present building in New Street, the opening being inaugurated by a conversazione on September 10.  In 1858, the School of Design was removed to the Midland Institute.  The “Society of Artists” may be said to have commenced in 1826, when several gentlemen withdrew from the School of Design.  Their number greatly increased by 1842, when they took possession of the Athenaeum, in which building their exhibitions were annually held until 1858.  In that year they returned to New Street, acquiring the title of “Royal” in 1864.  The Art Students’ Literary Association was formed in September, 1869.

Art Gallery and School of Art.—­In connection with the Central Free Library a small gallery of pictures, works of Art, &c., loaned or presented to the town, was opened to the public August 1, 1867, and from time to time was further enriched.  Fortunately they were all removed previous to the disastrous fire of Jan. 11, 1879.  A portion of the new Reference Library is at present devoted to the same purpose, pending the completion of the handsome edifice being erected by the Gas Committee at the back of the Municipal Buildings, and of which it will form a part, extending from Congreve Street along Edmund Street to Eden Place.  The whole of the upper portion of the building will be devoted to the purposes of a Museum and Art Gallery, and already there has been gathered the nucleus of what promises to be one of the finest collections in the kingdom, more particularly in respect to works of Art relating more or less to some of the principal manufactures of Birmingham.  There are a large number of valuable paintings, including many good specimens of David Cox and other local artists; quite a gallery of portraits of gentlemen connected with the town, and other worthies; a choice collection of gems and precious stones of all kinds; a number of rare specimens of Japanese and Chinese cloisonne enamels; nearly a complete set of the celebrated Soho coins and medals, with many additions of a general character; many cases of ancient Roman, Greek, and Byzantine coins; more than an hundred almost priceless examples of old Italian carvings, in marble and stone, with some dozens of ancient articles of decorative furniture; reproductions of delicately-wrought articles of Persian Art work, plate belonging to the old City Companies, the Universities, and from Amsterdam and the Hague; a collection of Wedgwood and other ceramic ware, the gift of Messrs. R. and G. Tangye, with thousands of other rare, costly, and beautiful things.  In