Jean-Jacques Caffiéri to William Temple Franklin, 17 March 1779
Jean-Jacques Caffiéri to William Temple Franklin
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Paris ce 17 mars 1779
Monsieur
J’ai fait encaisser Le Buste de M. franklin, vous pouve Monsieur qu’ant il vous plairat faire enlevée cette Caisse dans mon atelier du Louvres, j’ai fait Durcir ce buste avec de La Cire Comme vous Le Désiries, je Compte qu’il arrivera à bon port: Permettes que M. franklin trouve icy Les assurance de mon Respect.
J’ai Lhonneur d’etres tres parfaitement Monsieur Votres trés humble et tres obeïssant Serviteur2
Caffieri
Endorsed: M. Caffiery Paris 17. mars 1779.
2. Two days later, Caffiéri confirmed that the crate was ready to be picked up and enclosed instructions, to be forwarded to America, on the way to unpack it (APS). On June 16, the artist sent two more busts, made hard and shiny by a coat of wax dissolved in essence of turpentine. His bill amounted to 291 l.t., plus the porter’s expenses. BF paid it on June 16 (Account XVI, XXVI, 3). In a letter to WTF, probably written from Lorient in June, Chaumont fils relates having seen a BF bust, “grandeur naturel et tres ressemblant,” already loaded. It must have been unloaded at some point, since Sally complained of having received the instructions but no bust. For its further misadventures see Sellers, Franklin in Portraiture, p. 201.