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January 13, 1950

Dear Mr. Baker:

Mr. Richard S. Davis has requested me to send you the photograph of a "Reclining Nude" by George BRAQUE owned by my firm, and which I take pleasure in enclosing herein.

May I say, however, that had he not recommended this I would not send you this print, as it truly gives but a very faint idea of the actual aspect of the painting, and I realize therefore how difficult it will be for you to reach any sort of opinion.

This painting measures 9" x 21" wide, and as you will notice is signed in the lower left-hand corner: "C. Braque ' 25"which is one of the best periods of the artist's achievement.

Of particular beauty and interest is the actual plastic quality of this reclining figure which discloses the interest Braque had already in those days for sculpture, though it is only in recent years that concurrently with his painting he has also been carrying out sculpture.

Another interesting feature is the fact that the artist carried out comparatively few paintings with human figure, as was pointed out in the great exhibition of Braque held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York last year, which as you probably know also was shown in Cleveland.

The paramount quality of the colors, and the richness of the pigments used will completely escape you from this photograph, as the figure itself of a terra-cottan tan is "underlined" so to say by strong rich black, and superb pure white. The background is grayish-brown swirls of pale green superimposed.

The price of it is… $4800. (four thousand eight hundred dollars.)

Should you think that this painting could be of interest to you it would be but fair on my part to spend the painting to you without any obligation to you of course and fully insured by this firm.

May I repeat trying to judge its merit from this reproduction is, to say the least, extremely difficult and unfair to the painting and to the artist.

I personally consider it as one of the most typical paintings by the artist everywhere subject, and painted in a masterly manner.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Yours very truly,

Hollis S.Baker, Esq.
Baker Furniture Inc.
Exhibitors Building
Grand Rapids, Michigan

(Germain Seligman)