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3017 N Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20007

[[note]] file: Michael Straight [[/note]]

October 14, 1972

Dear Theresa:

Thank you for writing and for sending me the copy of the Burlington.

Another friend had sent me one; I'm glad to have two.

Anthony had promised to send it to me, but perhaps he felt a little uneasy about the use of that photograph. Diorio had overceraned the mouth, going beneath the lines clearly marked in both X ray and infra red photographs, and forming a mouth that was disfigured, out of axis, and plainly inappropriate since it made the face more exceptional and individualised than it was intended to be. I raised the question with him but only after mailing the last photographs taken in his studio to a few experts. He conceded that the lips were wrong and reconstructed them as you remember them. So, I mailed another ,later photo to Blunt and others, explaining why it was the one to use, but Blunt regrettably went back to the interim version .

I still do not accept the Bellange theory. It was much closer to Callot, if a name is to br drawn from that circle. However, the painting continues to fascinate and please me that is the main thing.

My best to Mr.S. and to you
Michael

P.S. Harithas at the Everson maintained that it could be done by a local man, and since the damage was not serious, I let it go at that.