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ILEANA SONNABEND 37 QUAI DES GRANDS AUGUSTINS PARIS VI MED. 47-84


October 28, 1964

Dear Leo,

It was nice to talk with you yesterday, but as usual I didn't tell you half of what I had to tell you.

Pontus has sent me the "Door" by Bob. It's very nice indeed, and I will try to sell it here for him. The transparency of your red painting arrived this morning. I hope that Zwirner meant that one when he said that he was interested in a "Very beautiful red painting" he saw in your place. I shall forward him the transparency. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Lithos:  please don't forget to send me prices and photos, but especially prices. I cannot stall any longer either with Benedicte or the Stedelijk Museum.

Jean-Jacques:  This is a special request, and you would help me very much if you could do something about it.

You know how nice Jean-Jacques has always been to us, and therefore I especially want to do something for him.  Mrs. Gertrude Stein came to Paris last summer. She grew enthusiastic about his work and promised him a show, and left with a lot of drawings. Jean-Jacques didn't dare count the drawings or ask her for a settlement. She left and he started to prepare for the show. Since then he has written her several times, but is still very much at sea about her intentions. Time is passing and he can't get a definite committment or a date.

Can you either contact her directly, or perhaps ask Ivan to do so? See whether you can put in a good word for Jean-Jacques and somehow make her promise him a show at a definite date. I know you are a master of diplomacy and I'm counting on all of it to settle this strange matter.

Jasper Johns:  I notice that you don't mention my "Figure 1" white painting, nor does Bryan. What has happened to it? I hope that it is still around. Should it be in bad condition, would it be too much to ask Jasper to restore it? I'm sending you the famous letter of Sidney's, just for you to see what a nasty old scrooge he is. But everything turned out alright after all.

I can't wait to see you in London, although I'm scared stiff of Jasper.

All my love 
sl

Cannot locate Stein.
Gallery not open- (yet?)
Must keep in touch with Fieger.