Bidspirit auction | RODIN AUGUSTE: (1840-1917)

RODIN AUGUSTE: (1840-1917) - RODIN AUGUSTE: (1840-1917) French sculptor. A.L.S., A. Rodin , one page, 8vo, Rue de l´Université (Paris), n.d. (1885), to Stephen Pichon, in French. Rodin states ´Je me joins à tous ceux qui vous félicitent de votre élection´ (Translation: ´I join all those who are congratulating you on your election´ ) and continues ´et je n´oublie pas la visite que vous m´avez faite, avec Monsieur Strauss, et qui aura pour résultat, je le crois bien, de me faire commander le buste de Victor Hugo pour la ville´ (Translation: ´and I have not forgotten the visit you paid me, together with Mr Strauss, which I am sure will result in my commissioning the bust of Victor Hugo for the town´ ). Rodin closes his letter by asking Pichon to accept his ´considerations reconnaissantes´ (Translation: ´grateful regards´ ). With blank integral leaf. VG Stephen Pichon (1857-1933) French journalist, diplomat and politician of the Third Republic. Rodin had already begun modelling Victor Hugo from life in 1883, making a series of studies during visits to the writer shortly before his death in May 1885. The present letter appears to relate not to Rodin's first portrait of Hugo, but to a proposed municipal commission for a commemorative bust, reflecting the widespread public efforts to honour the celebrated author in the immediate aftermath of his death.