Milestones 21 



trait; he replied that he preferred it should be painted without any 

 ornament whatever. He spoke of his pleasant visit to the United 

 States, and took great interest in the affairs of our country. At his 

 house he showed me several pencil drawings of mountain scen- 

 ery made by his own hand, very carefully done, and as carefully 

 preserved. 



My studio was in Franzosisch Strasse. His residence was in an- 

 other part of the city, where he lived in a plain, substantial building, 

 in a quiet and unostentatious manner. As soon as it became known 

 that a portrait was being painted of Humboldt, a lively interest 

 was manifested upon the subject, particularly among the American 

 residents and students, an unusually large number of whom were 

 at that season in Berlin. On each sitting he was accompanied by a 

 valet, who attended him upstairs, and either left or remained in 

 the hall until the allotted time for sitting within expired, when 

 Humboldt immediately arose, and, politely taking his leave, de- 

 parted. An interesting conversation was kept up at intervals dur- 

 ing the sittings, at two or three of which the Hon. Theo. S. Fay, 

 our Charge d Affaires in Prussia, was present. When the portrait 

 of the great naturalist was completed, many persons, citizens and 

 strangers, as well as artists, and among the latter Cornelius, famed 

 for his magnificent cartoons and frescos in church, palace, and ca- 

 thedral, and Rauch, the immortal sculptor and author of the statue 

 of Frederick the Great, together with other personal friends of Hum- 

 boldt, came to see it. Before the portrait was sent to America it was 

 exhibited to the citizens in the grand hall of the Art Union of Berlin. 



It affords me great pleasure to place in your hands the original 

 portrait of Humboldt, to be used on this occasion of the centennial 

 celebration of his birth. The copy of the portrait which you desired 



