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                              May 15, 1953
Dear Mr. Mahon:

It was so very good of you to have taken time out on your trip to Italy to acknowledge the letter I sent to you to London. I am indeed happy to have followed your advice for I have, namely, taken drastic steps thereafter, having had an infra red photograph made of the top part of the painting. This infra red confirmed our opinion, yours and mine, that the top part, the Virgin and the Cherubs in the clouds, had undergone restoration. Thus it was thoroughly cleaned (showing definite damage to the gown of the Virgin) and the character of it was changed to such an extent that I feel, and hope you will have the same reaction, that we are faced today with the proof of an original painting by Caracci. Even though the print will, of course, reveal the damage to the gown of the Virgin I am having a special photograph made of this part of the painting and which I shall mail to you within the coming few days. Simultaneously, I will also forward the original infra red. You will thus be able to compare the painting as it was before and after the cleaning and be in a position to observe considerable changes in the technique. Also the clouds have become much lighter, as well as the Cherubs, which now show outlines not visible previously, accents of light, and a more precise and impressive drawing is now quite obvious. 

The colors, unfortunately, you won't be able to judge, but the flesh tones of the Cherubs have acquired a transparency, as well as the face and hands of the Virgin. Particularly lovely is the shade and the light of the head of the Virgin and of her neck. I think you will also be impressed with the exquisite treatment of her hands. Also, worthy of note, is the "skyline" right and left at the height of the Virgin's waist, which mellows off instead of the hard outline we had before. 

As I said above, I am under the impression that this is a true revelation of a beautiful fragment so far hidden and I would be much obliged to you were you to give me your impressions, for, and you will understand this easily, were you to share my views and come to the conclusion that we are now sure to be faced with the original of the painting, of which a copy is in the Bologna Museum, I would proceed further with the cleaning, realizing that the angels on the right and left have similarly been covered with repaints. The cleaning would apply to the rest of the painting, though I am convinced that the whole lower part, with perhaps insignificant damage, is in an excellent state of preservation.

^[[GS]] 

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