Viewing page 5 of 9

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

New York 22, New York

September 18, 1959

My dear Mr. Bonardelli:

It was very good of you to have written me in such detail and I do wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter of September 15th.

It is correct that I am much interested in the paintings by Baron Gros, and in fact, if you could tell me in which gallery you saw the portrait of "Marchall de Massena", I would be much obliged for it is unknown to me.

However, you must realize that I cannot indicate to you, as you write, current prices on works by this artist in the New York art market, for, to my knowledge there are very few about either here or in Europe; and as regards the few thus available, it would necessitate investigating first whether they are actually correctly attributed as well as their condition.

Furthermore, you know enough about works of art to realize how difficult it is to compare them and therefore to draw conclusions from the prices mentioned for one or the other as so many factors come into play. I feel certain that you will understand my reasoning. On the other hand, were you able to let me have a photograph of the portrait in your family attributed to Baron Gros, I would enjoy being able to have it for my file on this artist, and may I thank you in advance for this courtesy.

Yours very sincerely,

Germain Seligman

Mr. A.L. Bonardelli
3860 Maplewood Avenue
Montreal
Canada