This book recounts the engaging story of a French-Irish immigrant who became the greatest American sculptor of his day. During his lifetime Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) both contributed to exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum and served as an advisor to its staff. After his death the Museum continued steadily to acquire his sculptures. Today it owns 45 of the sculptor's works, ranging from delicate cameos and medals to innovative painterly bas-reliefs to stirring statuettes and portrait busts after Civil War monuments for East Coast cities.   Thayer Tolles appraises Saint-Gaudens's groundbreaking position in the history of late 19th-century American sculpture and the Aesthetic Movement, and she also addresses his role in advancing American art on the international stage.