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March 5, 1955

Professor Dowd:

Now that to a certain extent I have been able to clear my desk of the accumulation brought about by two weeks' absence, I am able to concentrate on our problems. Let me say first that I appreciate, indeed, the clarity of the position you take.

Before going into the financial angle, may I say, as you may recall, the original purpose of communicating with you was in order to obtain additional data on my "Portrait of Melle. Bourgoin" by J.-L.David and, should the additional data warrant it, to ask you to publish this painting either by itself or as part of a larger study in which case the painting would be reproduced. It could still be indicated, I feel sure, as being in the collection of Mr. Ary Leblond, for I do not believe he would object to it (though, leaving no doubt in your mind, this painting is outright my property, and Mr. Leblond has no further interest in it), an arrangement which could be more agreeable to you than mentioning my name, divorcing you thus from any commercial enterprise. This is a point which I think weighs on your mind, the more so as further in your letter you add "that I remain a free agent and prohibit me from becoming your employe." Let me reassure you fully on this issue. I know too much about the high standard of the university faculty and of its ethics to consider you in that light.

Now, as regards the material angle of our cooperation, let me explain an outlook which I feel certain you will understand even though your intellectual activities do not lead you to ponder such problems. However, as a businessman I have to weigh the amount of expense the purchase of a painting involves in terms of the return I can expect from an eventual sale, and included among such outlays is, of course, the research undertaken. Thus in my mind I have to weigh the figure such work may cause to the point of its being warranted by the importance of the painting. This I realize is a long explanation, which, however, I find necessary, as what I am after is to limit the time consumed in terms of dollars; ans as valuable as the painting may be, it can stand only so much of additional cost.

We are not far apart-in fact, if, as you say at the very outside a week" could produce the results we are after at the rate of $37.50 (thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents) per day, this would be

t.v.s.p.

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