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Geo. S. #8

5 East 57th Street
New York 22, N.Y.

June 1, 1949

Dear Germain:

I invited Suida and we had a very charming lunch. He had a new look at the Mantegna. It has been decided between him and Walker that the painting "would be taken into consideration". For reason of inside policy, he is taking the matter up in  the near future and has not done so yet. 

Around the 15th, the new restorer will be in town and it is highly probable that he, the new restorer, and the old gentlemen will come together at the time to have a look at the painting. I told him that all three of them will be highly welcome and He would notify me beforehand of the [[strikethrough]] the [[/strikethrough]] their visit.

He also looked at the small Bellini. He has the idea that he could recommend [[strikethrough]] offer [[strikethrough]] it to a man in Caracas, Pietri, whom he knows since a long time. I accepted that right away as he is the man [[strikethrough]] which [[strikethrough]] with whom I am in correspondence for several years. He is going to recommend the painting to him, 

But would like very much that you authorize him to publish the painting, I think in the "Art Quarterly", taking the opportunity of a study that he makes on the Condottiere by Bellini of the National Gallery. He said that when a painting is reproduced it always helps to sell it. (I could understand that it would help in selling it to Pietri). He won't mention a price in his letter. Nevertheless, he asked me how much we ask, and I answered $18,000.-, instead of the marked price of $16,000.-. You know that all South Americans bargain. Do you want to ask more? I think that $18,000.- is enough.

He was also extremely interested in seeing a photograph of the drawing in the National Gallery of Ireland and Dublin about which Philip Hendy wrote. I asked right and left in the firm but we do not seem to have ever had a photograph of that drawing. Could we ask for one? If so, I would write upon receipt of your answer. 

Meilleurs Jeuris [[??]]

GS

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