Auguste BARTHOLDI - Signed autograph letter - Statue of Liberty
Last days
Frédéric Auguste BARTHOLDI (1834 - 1904), French sculptor
Autograph letter signed to the politician Henri Martin. Paris July 19, 1883; 2 pages in-8°.
Beautiful letter from the young sculptor Auguste Bartholdi totally devoted to the colossal construction site of the Statue of Liberty, present on all fronts, including for the promotion of his work: “I thank you very much for your kind little note; he pleases me with his friendly character; but makes me sad on the other hand, because I regret not being able to leave! There are too many things that require my presence and I find it impossible to leave! I would have been very happy to be able to travel with you and see with you the beautiful things of the past that you know how to bring back to life before our eyes. Alas, necessity rules and I must stay on shore. I recently saw that you were in touch with the Hungarian Travelers' Society. If you wanted to send them to see the Statue of Liberty, I am sending you an invitation card attached that you could send to them, if necessary I will go and receive them, if I am informed of the day and time. This would perhaps not be a bad thing to do for the moral character of our work (…)”
The Statue of Liberty project began on April 21, 1865 when Edouard de Laboulaye, professor of law at the Collège de France and admirer of young American democracy, submitted the idea that France offered the United States a statue symbolizing Freedom enlightening the World, thus sealing the friendship between the two countries. The design came from the young Auguste Bartholdi, distinguished by the creation of his colossal Lion of Belfort. The defeat of France at Sedan, followed by the Paris Commune and the political and financial problems encountered, delayed the project by ten years.
The statue was to be inaugurated on the centenary of the independence of the United States, July 4, 1876, but construction had barely begun at the establishments of the Gaget-Gauthier & Cie foundry in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. Auguste Bartholdi would have been inspired by the features of his dear mother for the face of the statue, the manufacture of the torch fell to Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Its financing was a real obstacle course, the appeal for American and French donations being essential. The hand was then presented at the Universal Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876 and the head admired at the Champ de Mars, during the exhibition of 1878. Gustave Eiffel, brilliant designer of iron bridges, was chosen to build the iron framework of the Lady. The 46 meter high building was completed in July 1884. Bartholdi, traveling to New York, had chosen the small island of Belloe's Island to house his masterpiece. She was dismantled piece by piece to be transported by boat to Le Havre on May 21, 1885. She triumphantly entered New York harbor on June 17. Erected on its metal base designed by Gustave Eiffel, it could finally light up the world from the height of its 93 meters. The inauguration took place on October 28, 1886 in the presence of American President Grover Cleveland and Auguste Bartholdi.
Autograph letter signed to the politician Henri Martin. Paris July 19, 1883; 2 pages in-8°.
Beautiful letter from the young sculptor Auguste Bartholdi totally devoted to the colossal construction site of the Statue of Liberty, present on all fronts, including for the promotion of his work: “I thank you very much for your kind little note; he pleases me with his friendly character; but makes me sad on the other hand, because I regret not being able to leave! There are too many things that require my presence and I find it impossible to leave! I would have been very happy to be able to travel with you and see with you the beautiful things of the past that you know how to bring back to life before our eyes. Alas, necessity rules and I must stay on shore. I recently saw that you were in touch with the Hungarian Travelers' Society. If you wanted to send them to see the Statue of Liberty, I am sending you an invitation card attached that you could send to them, if necessary I will go and receive them, if I am informed of the day and time. This would perhaps not be a bad thing to do for the moral character of our work (…)”
The Statue of Liberty project began on April 21, 1865 when Edouard de Laboulaye, professor of law at the Collège de France and admirer of young American democracy, submitted the idea that France offered the United States a statue symbolizing Freedom enlightening the World, thus sealing the friendship between the two countries. The design came from the young Auguste Bartholdi, distinguished by the creation of his colossal Lion of Belfort. The defeat of France at Sedan, followed by the Paris Commune and the political and financial problems encountered, delayed the project by ten years.
The statue was to be inaugurated on the centenary of the independence of the United States, July 4, 1876, but construction had barely begun at the establishments of the Gaget-Gauthier & Cie foundry in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. Auguste Bartholdi would have been inspired by the features of his dear mother for the face of the statue, the manufacture of the torch fell to Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Its financing was a real obstacle course, the appeal for American and French donations being essential. The hand was then presented at the Universal Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876 and the head admired at the Champ de Mars, during the exhibition of 1878. Gustave Eiffel, brilliant designer of iron bridges, was chosen to build the iron framework of the Lady. The 46 meter high building was completed in July 1884. Bartholdi, traveling to New York, had chosen the small island of Belloe's Island to house his masterpiece. She was dismantled piece by piece to be transported by boat to Le Havre on May 21, 1885. She triumphantly entered New York harbor on June 17. Erected on its metal base designed by Gustave Eiffel, it could finally light up the world from the height of its 93 meters. The inauguration took place on October 28, 1886 in the presence of American President Grover Cleveland and Auguste Bartholdi.
This description has been translated automatically. please click here Click here to display the original language FR
Sold
This item is not available. Please click on « View the catalog » to see similar items available.
Delivery France:
30.00 € incl. VAT (*)
Country prices, click on See
See more
Hotline
Please contact us for any question regarding this object. For any other inquiry, we invite you to fill the contact form.
Other items from the category « lettre »
