1912-09-20

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Mr. M. Birnbaum.       20 Sept 1912
Manager
Berlin Photographic Company
New York

Dear Mr. Birnbaum -
Received your kind letter of 5 Sept 1912
You ask the prizes of the Greco picture and the small Goya -
I think that the prize for my part on the Greco picture must be 40,000 $ (forty thousand Dollars) what you can make more will be your profit and your commission part.
In comparison I can tell you, that a picture of Greco, with the same subject was bought of the Metropolitain Museum in New York for about seven years ago for that same prize, and was from his latest period which often appears in the market trade, since that time Greco has gained much in fame and mode and price. On the contrary my picture is from his youth and is exceedingly rare, and there is only one in the whole world still in private possession.
The picture is attributed to Greco without

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any hesitation of the spanish authorities Señor Beruete and Señor Cossío, besides to day I had a visit of an german authority Herr. Gronau, director of the Museum in Cassel who also attributed the picture to Greco. -
Since you was here, the picture has been cleaned and shows itself with coulours of a very rare pureness and preciousness, more radiant than any other picture from Greco's youth; it might perhaps be the small annunciation picture (0,25 x 0,19) at Prado Madrid, that approaches it in coulouring and handling.
It is in a very good condition, without reparation of any importance. The handling of the brush looks - as it was done yesterday.
This picture has for the first time created the opinion, that Greco has for some time lived and studied in Florence, where he has learned the Tempera process of the artist.
As to the small Goya I shall have for my own pocket 3000 $ (three tousand Dollars) what you make more for yourseff similar, as with the Greco picture.

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You know it is signed with his name "Goya".
I will remind you, that a millionaire Mr J. Frick (Pittsbourg?) is a collector of Greco pictures.
I hope the black and white exhibition will take place in the spring. I can tell you: that I have finished a lithography in five coulours from "the playing fairies" in the "Hirschsprung Collection. It will be printed in some few days.
Mrs Willumsen ask to be remembred to you.
Yours very truly