The Jefferson Life Mask Photogravure of the Life Bust of Jefferson by the sculptor, J. H. I. Browere On October 15th, 1825, nine months before the death of Thomas Jefferson, the sculptor, Browere, arrived at Monticello and obtained a plaster cast of his bust from life, employing a secret process since lost. The operation lasted ninety minutes with a frequent interval of rest It had been thought up to a few years ago, that this life mask was destroyed at the time of its making. This report, no doubt, was founded on the assertion in Randall's "Life of Jefferson" (Vol. III, p. 540). According to this assertion the cast was shattered by the artist as he feared the anger of Jefferson's body-servant who had witnessed the experiment. In the same manner Browere secured the life masks of many other famous persons of the period— Adams, Madison. Monroe, Lafayette, etc. All these masks are safely preserved in the collection left by Browere to his descendants. THOMAS JEFFERSON Library Edition CONTAINING HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY, NOTES ON VIRGINIA, PARLIA- PUBLISHED IN THEIR ENTIRETY FOR THE FIRST TIME INCLUDING ALL OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS, Deposited in the dEPARTMENT OF STATE AND PUBLISHED IN 1853 BY ORDER OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYTICAL INDEX ANDREW A. LIPSCOMB, Chairman Board of Governors EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ALBERT ELLERY BERGH MANAGING EDITOR VOL. XX. ISSUED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE THOMAS JEFFERSON MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON, D. C. 1903 |