Viewing page 7 of 83

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

April 23rd 1974
Dear Mr. Andree;
In your pleasant note of April 19th, you are asking for information regarding a drawing by THOMAS COUTURE entitled "A LAWYER", a sketch toward a painting.
Of particular interest is its link to the oil paining "ALLANT A L'AUDIENCE" in the Walter Collection, Baltimore, which is a small version for a final much larger one.
In the invoice made out to your Museum in 1959, pursuant to the purchase of this drawing, was mentioned, as I have just checked in my firm's files, all the indication we have referring to it. Should the latter not be available to you, I would be happy to send you a copy.
The drawing was exhibited several times, in fact also in your Museum, "Drawings of 5 Centuries" in April-May 1959, No. 73. Regarding its provenance which you are inquiring about, all I can state is that it was purchased in Paris, through an intermediary, from a private collector whose name was not disclosed.
As I said above, do not hesitate to ask for a copy of the bill should you wish me to do so. Meanwhile hoping the above will answer your request, with best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Germain Seligman
Mr. Herbert Andree
Registrar and Associate Curator
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
1130 State Street
Santa Barbara
Cal. 93101
TP