To James Madison from John H. I. Browere, 12 September 1825
From John H. I. Browere
Washington 12 Sept 1825
Most Excellent Sir
Desirous that the Fine Arts may flourish in this may [sic] native country I made bold in requesting our venerated Friend & Benefactor,1 to submit to the Ordeal of my new and perfect mode of taking the human features and form. Ever anxious to please the American People, he condescended on the Eleventh, and nineteenth day of July last; the issue has been to us most favorable; a perfect fac-simile representation of our Beloved Guest, has been before the Public, who together with the General & our esteemed President Adams &c. unhesitatingly averred the faithful delineation of his features—by my hand. My success, therefore, has emboldened me to apply to His Excellency President Madison for a similar Boon, not doubting from his known urbanity that he will condescend to transmit me, in writing, an acquiescence. Attached to these lines I send recommendatory certificates from Gentlemen, who, I doubt not are personally known to his Excellency. Although they be too flattering to a young Artist still I trust they will substantiate the claims I have on the Public Confidence.
Seeing then that the printed proposals to Governor Clinton’s Bust will explain the Motives which have induced me, to apply to his Excellency I will close by requesting that, should my application be unsuccessful, (which I pray may not be) that he will forgive the boldness of this indictio2 from a Stranger, and attribute the motives to over-zeal as the cause of handing down to Posterity the Countenances of those Men deemed by a free People as most worthy to have filled the Stations of Chief Magistrates. Wishing Peace health & prosperity I remain dr. Sir Yours most truly
John H. I. Browere3
PS. At the solicitation of a committee of the Hon the Common Council, and gentlemen of the Highest celebrity in New York I removed to Washington for the valuable purpose of executing the Likenesses of President Adams Hon. Henry Clay, His excelles. Vice President Calhoun, &c &c. as also Presidents Jefferson, Madison, Monroe to whom I have also applied. Yours most devotedly
John H. I. Browere
Portrait & Historic Sculptor
RC (DLC). Internally addressed to James Monroe; cover addressed to JM at Montpelier; docketed by JM.
1. Lafayette.
2. Indictio: indiction (i.e., proclamation) (Lat.).
3. John Henri Isaac Browere (1792–1834), was born in New York City and attended Columbia College for a time. He trained with the Scottish painter, Archibald Robertson, and spent two years in Europe studying art. In 1825 Browere’s bust of Lafayette brought him such public notice that he decided to create a gallery of busts of famous people, which he in great part successfully completed, although in plaster and not in bronze, which was his original intent. The life masks that Browere made of JM and Dolley Madison are displayed at the New York State Historical Association’s Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York (Bolton, “Life Portraits of James Madison,” , 3rd ser., 8 [1951]: 34).