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On May 5, 1909 Gerhardt wrote a letter to Mark Twain with a clipping enclosed. The following article is probably the news story that Gerhardt sent to Twain.


New Orleans Times Democrat, Sunday, May 2, 1909, section 3, p. 8.

News photo of Gerhardt
[Photo captioned]
KARL GERHARDT AND SOME OF HIS RECENT WORK.

KARL GERHARDT
SOME WORDS ABOUT A SCULPTOR OF TALENT.
Remarkable Testimonials from Great French Artists to the Ability of a Sculptor Now a Resident of New Orleans - What He Has Done.


The following letters tell about Mr. Karl Gerhardt:

To the Editor of The Times-Democrat:

With a view of doing some good to a great but too modest American artist, born in Boston in 1853, who has been in our midst since four or five years, will you permit me to say a few words of reference in his behalf. A glimpse at the following credentials will convince any one of Mr. Karl Gerhardt's proficiency in the art of sculpture. Falguiere, Paul Dubois, testify as to his talents. Diplomas bearing such names are scarce and commend respect throughout the world.

An accident has brought Mr. Gerhardt to my attention and some busts lately made by him with a striking likeness is the best proof that he is a master in the art of moulding and sculpture.

Respectfully yours,
A. A. LELONG

~~~~~

Farmington Avenue,
Hartford, Feb. 26, 1881.

To any United States representative or other friend of mine to whom these presents shall come--Greeting:

The bearer of this, Mr. Karl Gerhardt, is a personal and particular friend of mine, and I know he will do no discredit to your acquaintanceship. May I, therefore, beg the privilege of introducing him to you?

With great respect, I am truly yours,
S. L. Clemens, (Mark Twain.)
~~~~~

[The following two letters, written in French, are from Gerhardt's Parisian art teachers.]

Je Soussigne, Professeur des Beaux Arts, membre de l'Institut, certifie que Mons. Karl Gerhart a fait ses etudes de sculpture sous ma directin, et qu'il a ete un de mes meilleurs eleves.

I'l est aujourd hui en etat de se charger de l'execution doeuvres importantes, et merite toute confiance par son talent, et ses capacites acquises. Je crois doue pouvoir recommander tout particulierement Mons. Karl Gerhardt, comme un de mes eleves sur l'avenis duquel on peut fonder le plus grand espoir.

A. FALGUIERE,
Membre de l'Institut, Officier de la Legion d'Honneur.
Ministere de l'Instructoin Publique et des Beaux Arts.
Ecole Nationale Speciale des Beaux Arts.
Paris le 11 Fevrier, 1883
~~~~~

Monsieur:

J'ai l'honneur de vous recommander tout particulierement un de vos compatriotes, Monsieur Karl Gerhardt, jeune sculpteur de talent que j'al eu occasin de suivre pendant les etudes faites par lui a Paris. C'est un artiste tres bien doue, tres courageux, et dont les oeuvres donnent le plus grand espoir. I'l est tres regrettable que sa situation pecuniaire ne lui permette pas de continuer des etudes si bien commencees, et ce cerait une bonne oeuvre que de lui faciliter son retour a l'Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris.

Veuillez agreer, Monsieur, l'assurance de ma haute consideration.

P. DUBOIS.
Directeur de l'Ecole Natinale des Beaux Arts,
Membre de l'Institut.
~~~~~

Mount McGregor, July 18.

Dear Sir--I like your bust of my father very much. It is as I remember him earlier in my life, in war time.

I thank you very much for the one you have sent to me.

Yours respectfully, JESSE GRANT
To K. Gerhardt, Esq.
~~~~~~

Principle sculptures made by Karl Gerhardt:

Echo, marble, salon 1883.
Eves Lullaby, plaster, salon 1883.
Nathan Hale, bronze (heroic) capitol, Hartford, Conn.
Richard Hubbard, bronze, capitol grounds, Hartford, Conn.
Gen. Israel Putnam, bronze equestrian, Brooklyn, N. Y. [actually Brooklyn, CT.]
Josiah Bartlett, bronze, Amesbury, Mass.
Pioneer Group, bronze, Des Moines, Ia.
Secretary Frelinghuysen, bronze, Newark, N.J.
Seth Boyden, bronze, Newark, N. J.
Gen Warren, bronze, Gettysburg.
Gen. Stannard, bronze, Gettysburg.
Gen. Stannard, Burlington, Vt.
Utica Soldiers' Monument (cost $30,000), Utica, N.Y.
Soldiers' monument at Hoboken, N. Y.
Soldiers' monument at Calais, Me.
Soldiers' monument at Brooklyn, CT.
Bust in bronze of Mark Twain.
Bust in marble of Henry Ward Beecher.
Bust of Nellie Grant.
Bust of Gen. Grant.


Karl Gerhardt biography

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