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New York 22, New York
October 28, 1965

Dear Mr. Sawyer: 

It was most enjoyable to receive your lines of October 26 and to hear the pleasant news of your Executive Committee's decision to acquire the painting:

"Portrait du Baron Paul Perignon", by Thomas COUTURE -

As per your request, you will find herein my Firm's invoice in duplicate. on it figures the documentation as complete known to me.

The portrait was shown in the Brussels exhibition "Cinq Siecles d'Art" - 1935 - Lent by Jacques Dupont (the French Official you certainly know of). In the pamphlet already in your possession are photostats of the catalogue in which it was reproduced.

You are inquiring whether I have photographs of the painting before it was relined and "changed from an oval to a rectangular frame". I am sorry to say that I have not any as I purchased it on its present stretcher. Furthermore, I am strongly under the impression that an oval frame was applied on a rectangular canvas - as is so often the case - in other words, that the canvas itself had never been an oval one.

May I add that I am particularly happy to be represented in your museum with a work of art of such merit - the character of the sitter adding unusual interest.

With best personal regards,

Sincerely,

Germain Seligman

Mr. Charles H. Sawyer
Director
The University of Michigan
Museum of Art 
Alumni Memorial Hall
Ann Arbor, Michigan

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