July 5, 2024
A Tale of Two Busts: The Later Friendship of John Adams & Thomas Jefferson
“Thomas Jefferson always reminded me of my great-grandmother.
When I was younger, she had a house overflowing with dolls. Jefferson was also a collector of faces, though they were more of the sculptural variety, and his motive for such an assortment of figures differed greatly from hers.
It was with a few starting busts that Jefferson began a collection that would span his entire lifetime, fueled by pride, comradery, and even animosity. This assortment would come to be known as Jefferson’s “gallery of worthies.” There is one bust amongst these figures that covers the full range of motivations; a portrayal of John Adams whose history and involvement in Jefferson’s home and life lives on, recorded in everlasting marble.”