with jefferson, houdon travels to mount vernon to sculpt president washington, establishing for the first time in america the use of public money for art. mr. jefferson would also sit for houdon, and before leaving paris, he would see himself on display at the paris exhibition of 1789 in a building that he much admired... the louvre. a treasure house. jefferson was here for 3 of the great paris exhibitions. the unerring eye, which had discovered houdon, now leads him to another artist, dangly inventive for his time.