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December 7th., 1942.

Dear Mr. Rosen:

It is a long time since I have had the pleasure of seeing you, and as I don't know, of course, when you will next be in town, I am sending you these lines.

May I first inquire whether Mr. Stanley Barbee of Los Angeles ever got down to see you? - as when he was here two or three weeks ago, we discussed the best authorities he could consult in connection with his "Portrait of Deburau" by Daumier. Among others, I of course mentioned your name, which I gathered from subsequent conversations may also have been suggested by other parties. In any event, Mr. Barbee told me that he was going to see you in Baltimore. Though I am only indirectly interested in the matter, at least for the time being, from a didactic point of view we all - collectors, critics and dealers - follow any such conclusions with a great deal of interest, the more so when a painting has so well established a pedigree. As you no doubt know, this painting came from the David Weill collection, where it was catalogued by Georges Henri Rivière, and had previously gone through the old firm of Hector Brame, and I think also Goupil or Boussod-Valadon - - in other words, the oldest firms, which were or should have been in direct touch with these artists. It seems to me that the problem of Daumier, instead of becoming simpler as time goes by, is becoming more complex!

I also went to let you know that a very few days ago I purchased a small but extremely attractive portrait by RENOIR, of his later period, which I would enjoy

t.s.v.p............