Did Vinnie Ream visit the White House daily for 5 months?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks Reignette and Susan for the new input. I am still on the fence.

As for "again, no reference to Lincoln sitting for Ream" - how self-evident is such proceeding for a sculptor himself to mention it at all?

My current "theory" is that he wasn't exactly sitting for her and that she later possibly embellished the part of no one being allowed to disturb as this would somehow have made its way into other accounts of those days, but that she was allowed to quietly sketch him from a corner of the room while he worked at his desk which might not have gotten more attention than a servant waiting somewhere.

Re. Rollin's "Your bust of Mr. Lincoln is for the best which I have seen of him; it is indeed an almost perfect work of art" - what do y'all think? In this bust he looks totally different to me than in all other likenesses - smiling, like a funny guy. Doesn't resemble the other images and photos much IMO.