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7 St. Luke's Place
New York City
Oct. 31, 1940

Mr. Robert Carlen
The Carlen Galleries
323 South Sixteenth Street
Philadelphia, Pa.

Dear Mr. Carlen:

Mr. Georges Keller of the Bignou Gallery has referred me to you for material in addition to what he has given me for use in a magazine story on Horace Pippin. I shall greatly appreciate your help and shall see that the article contains picture credits and acknowledgement of your exhibition of Pippin's work. I need the following material especially:

1. A clear glossy print of the portrait of Paul B. Dague and the story, with all possible local color, of how this picture came to be painted, when it was done, etc. Also, if possible, a print of the Gen. Smedley D. Butler portrait and its story.

2. Clear glossy prints of two of the best war pictures. They must have clear contrasts to reproduce well. I should like especially to get "Dogfight over the Trenches."

3. Descriptions of some of Pippin's Negro friends who have his pictures as gifts or exchanges for small debts and would not think of parting with them, as Mr. Keller tells me.

4. Any available photographs of Pippin himself, in his home, family life, in his American Legion group, etc.

5. A page or two of biography, to be written by Pippin himself, in order to give material for direct quotes that will suggest his personality, with emphasis on the following:

a. Early life, obstacles, artistic interests.

b. Impressions of the war and life in trenches.

c. How he took up painting, how he managed financial problem when incapacitated for heavy work, role of his wife in helping him, etc.

If you think it would be possible to take photographs of some of the humbler interiors where Pippin's paintings hang, and also some pictures of him at work in his own home, I might be able to come over with a photographer in order to get some unusual material. Perhaps you could let me know whether that would be possible. In the meantime, I should be grateful for obtaining whatever you can forward at your earliest convenience, so that I can give the story its preliminary shaping, and then determine whether it would be advisable to go to Philadelphia in order to expand it.

With my thanks for your kind consideration, I am

Sincerely yours,

Jerome Klein