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October 11, 1952

Dear Mr. Mahon:

It gave me considerable pleasure to receive this morning your so very kind and interesting letter of October 9, and let me say in turn that I feel rather embarrassed at the amount of time and work my request for information has entailed for you.

I know[[ 'o' corrected to 'e': 'knew']] that should you have the necessary leisure you would be indeed the authority capable of straightening out this problem.

Before going further into the questions you put up to me may I say that I a ordering two sets of detailed photographs of my painting, and that they will be forwarded to you within the coming week, I hope, for I fully agree with you that this is the only method whereby you will be able to reach a conclusion, short of seeing the painting itself.

You are perfectly correct to assume that the photograph Professor Suida showed in Bologna was the one of my own paining. He was much interested in this whole matter, but if I recall correctly his comments he had not been able to see the head of the gallery, and thus Dr. Cavalli is probably the person he approached on the subject.

Furthermore, Professor Gnudi's remarks about their painting seem to corroborate the information Dr. Suida had given me at the time, namely that the staff of the Bologna Museum seemed rather doubtful about their own Caracci.

You are kind enough to ask me whether I would "approve" sending an extra set of detailed photographs to Professor [[strikethrough]] Suida [[/strikethough]] ^[[GNUDI]] and placing the matter before Professor Wittkower, who you write is the Caracci specialist in England. 

You are taking this study so much to hear [[sic]] that I certainly would not dare suggest any other solution but the one you favor, and your choice of Professor Wittkower must be indeed a very wise one.

If I hesitate as regards your suggestion of Prof. Gnudi it is purely from a psychological angle, as might he not be slightly reluctant to admit, should we come to such a conclusion, that the original of the painting in his museum is for sale in the U.S.? I do not have the privilege of knowing Prof. Gnudi and I would not be surprised were you to tell me that he is above such a petty outlook. 

Thus, as I said above I will leave it entirely to you to

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