Choice ALS signed “Aug. St. Gaudens,” two pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.25 x 8.25, November 13, 1883. Letter to Mrs. [Edward W.] Stoughton, widow of the noted patent attorney, in full: "Your kind letter acknowledging the receipt of the medallion arrived a few days ago. I am glad you are pleased. I could not however ask anything for it and beg you will accept it as a slight token of my friendship. With regard to the bust of Mr. Stoughton, unless you have a top light, there is very little choice as to its position in the daytime other than its general position in the room—As you can probably manage the light at night much better, I would make that the first consideration. Most sculpture looks best when the light falls on it at about this angle [Saint-Gaudens draws a small sketch of the proposed bust, with line indicating the path of light] and that is generally not difficult to obtain in the evening. Mrs. St. Gaudens begs to be remembered kindly to you." The artist adds a postscript along the bottom: "I have nothing new to tell you with regard to your figure but I will be on the look out." In very good to fine condition, with light toning along the intersecting folds. Letters by Saint-Gaudens with included original drawings are few and far between.
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