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RS:KP

February 16th, 1935.

Dear Dr. Valentiner:

I thank you for your kind lines of February 13th, which I did not answer sooner because I was expecting the photograph of a picture, which I am enclosing herewith. Prof. A. Venturi writes about this picture as follows:

BERNARDINO DEI CONTI  1450?-1525

"Portrait of a Young Man"
Size: 13 x 11 inches
"Portrait of a fashionable young Milanese with long hanging hair, painted by Bernardino de' Conti. Flourishing on a gray-green background, the beautiful, luminous poppy-red of the soldier's cloak and of the cap. The flesh is golden, and the gold of the hair reflects back the light, one to the other, and is taken up by the little concentrated bows. This moving figurino, with its superb aigrette in the beret, is among the best works of the Lombard painter."

The picture is very decorative, the hat is red, as well as the collar and the lower part of the coat. I am very interested to know what you think of this picture because it just fulfills the requirements of the gentleman who lives in your city and whom I mentioned to you before, and I don't wish to show him the picture without its having your approval.

Between the time I wrote to you last and today, we were informed that Mr. Morgan had decided to stop selling. However, I had the same idea you had and I wrote to some of the collectors I knew whom I thought could be interested, amongst whom was Mr. Ford. Certainly our marvelous Laurana Relief looks like a great opportunity compared to the prices which were placed on the Morgan sculpture.

I had a very kind letter from Mr. Tannahill, telling me that he could not interest anyone in any of the things I had offered in Detroit. He certainly is as kind as he is charming, and the trouble he took and the interest he showed in the various things which we offered, was very much appreciated.

I intend to go back to Detroit sometime in the future, but I don't know when yet, and certainly not immediately. Are you thinking of coming to New York soon again? If so, don't forget to let us know.

With my kindest regards, believe me

Sincerely yours,

(René Seligmann)

Dr. W. R. Valentiner,
The Detroit Institute of Arts,
Detroit, Michigan.

GS

Transcription Notes:
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