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May 14th., 1947

Dear Miss Mongan:

How very disappointed I was to hear that I had missed seeing you last Monday, as remembering the dates you had indicated for your visit to New York, I was expecting you at any moment, but did hope you would have given my office a ring before coming.

I realize from your letter of May 15th., how rushed you must have been, and I can but repeat how sorry I was not to have seen you, and may I also add that I could have given you a special treat, as you would have first view of two Degas drawings, purchased recently.

Now, as regards the INGRES drawing "The Family of Lucien Bonaparte", I am at a complete loss, and truly unable to answer you.

However, to your specific query, whether the drawing was exhibited by us in Rome, all I can say is that having gone directly from one collection into another, we had no opportunity of sending it to Italy, and I doubt that Mr. Rasmussen, who unfortunately has died since, would have been tempted as I knew him - to send it that far for such a purpose, and should he have done so I think he would have imparted this detail to us. 

As you so correctly state Mr. Winthrop acquired the drawing in 1936. It was purchased from Mr. Rasmussen of Copenhagen, who at times had bought some extremely important works of art from us, and this drawing, according to the information he gave us, came from the Glukstat Collection, also in Copenhagen.

Too, in the files I find that from Count Primoli it went to Wildenstein & Co., in Paris.

I remember that at the time, as is our usual custom, we checked carefully the information handed down to us, but to what extent and how far back this was done, is hard for me to tell today.

You know, of course, of the reference in Lapauze, where the drawing is described at length with the mention of the Louvre. Though we know, and how well we do, that Lapauze was not always accurate, it would seem unforgiveable not to have followed the drawing from Count

t.s.v.p.