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February 29th., 1944.


Dear Léger:

Following my visit to you yesterday, and as agreed, I am sending you herein a check for $1325., to be applied as indicated in my letter of February 15th., acknowledged by you on the 16th. We have further agreed that you have given me an option on the gouache, study for the "Perroquets" at the price of $1175., which, with the purchases I am making from you today, would make a total of $2500. You are to let me know as soon as this gouache will have been returned to you after being applied on canvas, at which time I will give you my decision.

You are also, I understand, having the drawing and the gouache for "Les Saltimbanques" applied to canvas, as - as indicated previously - I may purchase these instead of some of the "Plongeurs" group.

After looking at my calendar, I have chosen the date of Tuesday, April the 18th., for the opening of the exhibition, and May 6th., as the closing day - allowing myself, of course, the possibility of keeping the show open longer, according to the circumstances.

As we discussed, it is essential that we agree on titles which will in no way conflict with those of your previous pictures, and especially with those which might be at present in the hands of other dealers, and I am counting upon you to take this up particularly with Valentine Dudensing who, from what I understand, has and has had, a large number of your works.

For publicity purposes it is imperative that we set a title for the exhibition right away, and, as you know, titles in this country have to be short. How about "Les Plongeurs (The Divers), Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings by Fernand Léger"? Do let me have your answer on this post-haste, as the April issue of some magazines is already going to press.

In view of the paper shortage and the difficulty in obtaining any sort of stock, and the length of time needed for printing, it would be better to have just a leaflet catalogue with, perhaps, one reproduction. Even this I realize from recent experience, will take a very long time to obtain, and therefore anew the question of titles is of great urgency.

May I also remind you of signing and dating every one of the works, and also of your kind promise of letting me have a copy of the Paul Rosenberg catalog of last year's exhibition.

Now, you mentioned to me that some time this year a book on you and your work would be published, and as I told you spontaneously, I feel that it would be important, should we keep up our cooperation, as I hope, that my firm's name

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