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COPY 17, Old Burlington Street, London, W. Dec. 16,09.

My dear Mr. Frick I have examined the Vandyck offered to you by Ricci. It is an enormous life size equestrian portrait of a Genoese nobleman. It is not in perfect preservation. The attitude of the rider and horseman are clearly based on a Vandyck portrait but the resemblance ceases with this general likeness. The artist who did it was an Italian probably a Roman who had seen Vandyck but had never studied him closely or even attempted to imitate his style in detail. It is not a picture which you would care to possess nor has it any considerable commercial value. Certainly it is not worth a quarter of the sum named. I am sorry that I should have to give you so unfavorable an opinion on it. I will let you know if I should hear of a really fine example of Vandyck. I have found one which I am proposing for the Museum but as it is a crucifixion I do not supposed you wld. care to have it if the Museum does not see its way to its acquisition. May I take this opportunity of telling you what a great personal pleasure it was to me to see that you had joined the body of the Museum Trustees. It will make for the best traditions of art appreciation in New York. I have given Mr. G.W. Prothero the Editor of the Quarterly Review a letter of introduction to you which I hope will give you the pleasure of making his acquaintance. Yrs. Sincerely, (Signed) Roger E. Fry.