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HENRY SAYLES FRANCIS/BOX 107/GATES MILLS/OHIO

September 16, 1963

Dear Germain:

I am glad to have your letter about the Gothic Exhibition.  William Wixom was much touched by yours to him...he cared so much about it all and worked so hard, it is rewarding to have encouragement like yours.  It is a pity you could not see it...but next best will be, in addition to the catalogue, if you come October 1 for the portrait show and/or later I can show you gallery views, which we always keep as a record on file.

I had considerable to do with the getting together, as the paintings included naturally came from my department, and I take partial credit in the matter of including the dealers through whom we acquired objects.  I pointed out to Bill how Paul Sachs and Agnes Mongan had done it in the Fogg drawing catalogue, and having wanted to mention the dealers, he followed their method.  In many cases I checked certain parts of the proof of the catalogue-bulletin in process.  But I did not, since not in my department, check all the data which would have included the Mourners and your part in that whole acquisition.  I regret it because of course I know, if Bill didn't,...just one of those major slips I so greatly regret.  I shall point this out to Bill for the record.

When, however, it comes to the Sachs Annunciation, I do not have that information, if indeed I ever knew it, being as you say, too young; and the Museum most regretably does not have the Catalogue de Luxe for that Exhibition of Religious Art, March-April 1927.  This again I shall record and when our 
painting catalogue will in due course be finally published, this will be right. Meanwhile, I shall try to get the catalogue through our librarian.

I have only one criticism of the present catalogue...I hate the letter-press ...offset...with its smudgy edges; and all color is really, as yet, a travesty. Only the very most expensive facsimile reproductions with twelve or more plates--and so hideously expensive, can approximate the original.  The surface of paper alone defies verisimilitude.  I like catalogues still printed in the old style with coated paper, the black and white illustrations, best under any circumstances printed as sharply as possible by rotogravure.

We look forward to having you here in Cleveland.

With warm greetings always,

Yours,
Henry

Mr. Germain Seligman
5 East 57 Street
New York 22, New York