84 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
estal. I am just modeling the sketch. It is a conception which is 
expressed in Piloty’s picture and also the same which I intend to 
give the figure, but certainly it is not possible to make the same 
thing in plastic art as in the picture. A figure must be composed 
for every side and a picture only for one; we therefore have to 
make some alterations in the posture and the conceiving; how- 
ever, you needn’t feel 
uneasy as I have under- 
stood your intentions 
and shall act accord- 
ingly as much as _ pos- 
sible. The drawing of 
the relievo I have put 
in the post, it is also 
only a sketch. Please 
to send it back and let 
me know your wishes 
about it, to enable me 
to make the altera- 
tions according to 
them. 
“Concerning the 
second relievo our 
wishes seem to meet. 
I have written to you 
that I should like to 
choose the moment 
when Columbus takes 
possession of the coun- 
_ try. The pedestal for 
the grave monument I 
get drawn, so that they can work after it in America, the measures 
in English feet.” 
“Munich, May 24, 783. 
66 ME ON ee 5 eas, 0, ee Se ome seer Me ie eee Se eae 
“About the second relievo, I thought if it wouldn’t be better to 
choose instead of Piloty’s picture, the moment when Columbus set 
his foot in the new world on the 12th of October, 1492, and kissed 
the ground and then drew his sword and took possession of the 
country. In the background are the nude natives watching the 
strangers. Then I should take the statue of Columbus when he 
just beholds the country for the first time. Please inform me of 
your opinion about it.” 
“Munich, June 23, ’83. 
“Dear Sir: 
“Your letter of the 25th of May expresses so little confidence 
towards me that I will not try to explain my idea and intended 
alterations, but shall be willing to copy Piloty’s Columbus at your 
wish, For my justification, however, I have to clear up the seem- 
ing inconsistency existing between my last letter and the desire 
expressed to you by occasion of the remittance of Piloty’s picture. 
“At the time you first have spoken of getting made a statue of 
Columbus as a very remote idea yet and wanted to hear something 
about it from me I did not have any order yet to occupy myself 
more closely with the affair, but I knew a great number of repre- 
sentations of Columbus. In most of them he was more than the 
learned explorer, or represented after his landing in a quiet posture 
