Augustus Saint-Gaudens: The Stevenson Memorial

"Robert Louis Stevenson" medallion
by Augustus Saint-Gaudens

"It is singular how one will forget important things. I was about to overlook my experience with Robert Louis Stevenson, which took place in the autumn of 1887. Shortly before this time my friend, Mr. Wells, drew my attention to the 'New Arabian Night,' by a young author just making himself known. My introduction to these stories set me aflame as have few things in literature. So when I subsequently found that my friend, Will Low, knew Stevenson quite well, I told him that, if Stevenson ever crossed to this side of the water, I should consider it an honor if he would allow me to make his portrait.

It was but a few weeks after this that Stevenson arrived in America on his way to the Adirondacks. He accepted my offer at once, and I began the medallion at his rooms in the Hotel Albert in Eleventh Street, not far from where I lived. All I had the time to do from him then was the head, which I modeled in five sittings of two or three hours each. These were given me in the morning, while he, as was his custom, lay in bed propped up with pillows, and either read or was read to by Mrs. Stevenson.

I can remember some few things as to my personal impressions of him. He said that he believed 'Olala' to be his best story, or that he fancied it the best, and that George Meredith was the greatest English littérateur of the time. Also he told me of his pet-liking for his own study of Robert Burns. He gave me a complete set of his own works, in some of which he placed a line or two. In 'Virginibus Puerique,' he wrote, 'Read the essay on Burns. I think it is a good thing.' Thus the modest man!

After having modeled the head, I had determined to make Stevenson's medallion large enough to include the hands, and for that purpose, in order not to disturb him, I had begun them from those of Mrs. Saint-Gaudens', whose long, slender fingers I had noticed resembled his. But this result would not come out successfully, so I begged him for a sitting that I might make a drawing and some casts. He assented and a day was appointed. 

I asked Stevenson to pose and suggested to him that if he would try to write, some natural attitude might result. He assented, and taking a sheet of paper, of which he always had a lot lying around on the bed, pulled his knees up and began. Immediately his attitude was such that I was enabled to create something of use. I believe I made another visit to Manasquan, for, as well as the drawing, I possessed casts of Stevenson's hands which I used in modeling. He shortly after went to Samoa. I had two or three letters from him on the receipt of the medallion, which took an unconscionable time in reaching him. There my relations with him ended. He died at the age of forty-four." 

To be continued

(Excerpts from "The Reminiscences of Augustus Saint-Gaudens" by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and his son, Homer Saint-Gaudens.)