Viewing page 27 of 29

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

White tissue       

Gainsborough
Mrs. Robt. E, McConnell

February 26, 1974

Dear Mel;
 In view of the threat of a lawsuit in connection with the painting sold by my firm to the late Mr. Alfred H. Ramage on November 6th, 1924, I am forwarding to you the complete file of correspondence exchanged recently with Mrs. Robert E. McConnell, whom, I gather, iis the niece of the former owner of the painting.

1) December 7th, my letter to Mrs. McConnell.
2) December 13th, my letter to her, including the photostat of an extract of the Frick Collection catalogue (copy herein enclosed).
3) January 13th, Mrs. McConnell's answer to me.
4) January 18th, my letter to Mrs. McConnell, mentioning Mr. I. O. Chance of Christie's Manson & Woods, London.
5) February 6th, copy of Mr. Chance's letter to Mrs. McConnell.
6) February 20th, copy of Gregory Martin's (Christie's) letter to Mrs. McConnell.
7) Per your further information I am enclosing herein a photostat of the Henry J. Pfungst auction at Christie's of June 15th, 1917, where the present painting is described under number 75.
8) photostat also herein from the F. Lugt book, Marques de Collections Dessins, Estampes referring to the Pfungst collection. This is considered by everybody as the most valuable book of records of past collections.

It is interesting to note that this painting, at the Pfungst auction of 1917, from the marked catalogue, was purchased by Mr. Meyer See whom I recall. Among other books he published one on Chinnery, an English artist of the 19th century.

From the above it is obvious that in 1924 the painting was indeed fully identified as being by GAINSBOROUGH.

On the other hand, as is well known, a great deal of attribution and re-attribution has taken place in the last twenty years, not only at the Metropolitan as regards their own paintings but else by art historians, about works by REMBRANDT, and GOYA among others.
A famous sculpture is Widener Collection (now in the National Gallery, Washington) which was always known as DONATELLO has of late been attributed to ROSSELINO, and so on.

Though I hope that contrary to my belief there will not be a lawsuit, 
(T.S.V.P.)

[[left margin]] These are in Gainsborough file, as per Mrs. Cooney [[/left margin]]