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October 20, 1949

Dear Arthur:

You will recall that I have right along considered the photographs of your two great paintings as very poor. One of the reasons may be that the paintings needed cleaning.

As I am about to start a new offensive, would you be so good as to ask the Fogg Museum of Art to supply me as soon as feasible with a new set of photographs of the TINTORETTO. That is, one overall large photo, without the frame, measuring 11" x 14", and three similar ones in size of the following three details: the angel on the left; Christ; and St. John leaning against the symbolized River Jordan. Of the TITIAN I would like but one, namely of the entire painting, without frame and also 11" x 14".
I feel certain that these reproductions will be very different from the ones we have so far. Furthermore, as the Tintoretto, I reason, by cleaning will have brightened [[Titian overlap]] up considerably more than the Titian, I shall use the negatives of the details that Mr. Kopald has in his possession, and have prints made by my own photographer.

By the same token, I would like to have your permission, should I have an opportunity, to mention these two paintings to a South American Museum. This is a mere hunch, which, however, I would like to follow up.

At this point, however, I would like to call to your attention, in view of the set-up, as I believe it is, that I would have to mention considerably higher figures to this South American Museum. If I say this it is just in case, the world being so small, you may be unexpectedly approached, and express surprise at these very different figures. May I repeat that this is still extremely vague, and I am asking your permission should this opportunity arise.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Sincerely yours,

(Germain Seligman)

Arthur Sachs, Esq.
33 rue de l'Universite
Paris
France

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