the journals contain first-hand information on the inner workings of the national academy and the century club, on the 1876 centennial exposition in philadelphia, efforts to revive the american art-union, and on the vigorous growth of art societies and exhibitions throughout the country. the diaries also reveal the economy of art during the period, including the prices, patterns of collecting and patronage, the artists' dependence on personal contacts through clubs, social gatherings, and influential friends. long passages describe mcentee's overwhelming anxieties over money and family difficulties; he is frequently lonely and depressed, and always worried about his status as an artist.