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May 3rd., 1944.

Dear Mr. Hagerman:

It is with no business purpose that I am writing you today, and I am glad of this occasion to communicate with you.

My friend, Mrs. M. Callery, 142 E. 30th. St., N.Y. 16, as you probably know, owns what can be considered the most important collection of PICASSO paintings, if not perhaps in quantity, in quality.  In view of the fact that after having arranged and decorated a very delightful house with these paintings, she has been told that the building has been sold, she is thinking of lending them to an institution where the public can enjoy them, instead of just storing them in a selfish manner.

On my own initiative, I am inquiring whether your museum would care, and have the physical space, to hang up such a group.  For your information, the collection comprises roughly twenty PICASSO paintings and about ten drawings, perhaps ten of the paintings being ^[[very]] large in size.

Furthermore, there is a small but very interesting group--five or six--of paintings by LEGER.  One of these is a monumental painting for which, probably, you would have no room, as it measures 13' in height by 15' 8" in width.

The group of PICASSOs is composed of all periods of this artist from 1907 through 1939 -- in other words, none of the "blue" and "pink" periods.

As I said above, this being a personal letter to you, you may answer me as frankly as you wish.  On the other hand, should you be interested and want to write directly to this lady, you are perfectly at liberty to do so, just mentioning that I wrote you about it.  In this latter case, however, I think it might be wise not to delay your answer, as with Summer approaching, Mrs. Callery might have to make a decision in the very near future.

If I particularly thought of you in this connection, it is because, besides our very pleasant relationship, I feel that in your part of the country this very progressive expression of contemporary art has been seen less than in the East, and might be of special interest to your public.

With personal regards,

Your very sincerely,

(Germain Séligmann)

Percy Hagerman, Esq.,
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center,
Colorado Springs,
Colorado.