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Portland Art Association
Portland, Oregon
August 22nd, 1917.

Mr Charles L Freer,
No 33 Ferry Avenue, East,
Detroit, Michigan.

My dear Mr Freer:
I received your letter of August 15th and, yesterday, the painting arrive d safely. I cannot tell you how grateful I feel for your interest in making this gift to our Association. I have spent some time, this morning, in looking at the "Wild Geese by a Lotus Pool" and can appreciate what you say in regard to its value as an opportunity to study a kind of painting which should be of great interest, I think, not only to students of Oriental art, but also students of modern work of any kind. Arthur Wesley Dow has just concluded a summer course of five weeks, here in the Museum, and his fine work in opening up appreciation of esthetic values, has made us all keen to study just things as the Chinese painting you have so generously sent to us. I can only say that I shall do my best to see that this work fulfills the mission you have sent it for, and that it is correctly understood as to date, etc.
The Trustees whom I have seen since knowing that the picture was coming to us have been much impressed by the prospect of receiving your gift and the Board will take action in the matter when it again meets, which may not be for over a month as I am about to take a delayed vacation on account of our summer work.
With sincere gratitude and good wishes, 
Anna B Crocker
Curator.