Letter

CO-1341 Cooper, Lorraine. [Carta] 1957 Feb. 5, Washington, D.C. [para] Candido Portinari, Rio de Janeiro, RJ. [inglês][datilografado] Dear Mr. Portinari: You will remember the screen that you painted in 1947 that was bought by Elim O’Shaughnessy. There are three panels representing St. Peter, St. John, and the Archangel Michael. When Mr. O’Shaughnessy went to Europe en poste, he asked me to keep the screen. Then my husband was appointed Ambassador to India and we took the screen with us to Delhi. It arrived in perfect condition and made the drawing room of the American Embassy beautiful. I cannot tell you how many people asked about it and admired it. Then we returned to the United States, where my husband is now the United States Senator from Kentucky, and to my horror, the panel of the Archangel Michael was irreparably damage on the trip from India. I have sent the screen to the restorer of the National Gallery here in Washington, and he informs me that although the St. John and St. Peter panels are perfectly safe, nothing can be done about the other panel, as the moisture has cracked the wood in many places, and the water has washed away the paint itself. The National Gallery is going to take color photographs of the entire screen in the hope that you will be willing to paint another panel of the Archangel Michael. I would appreciate is very much if you would let me know if you will do this, and tell me how much it will be. I hope you will agree to do it, as I regret with all my heart having been responsible in any way for destroying a work of art. With every good wish to you and your wife, Sincerely yours, Lorraine Cooper (Mrs. John Sherman Cooper) 2