Buchanan, William: Memoirs of painting: with a chronological history of the importation of pictures by the great masters into England since the French Revolution (Band 2) (London: Ackermann, 1824)

MR. BUCHANAN’S IMPORTATIONS. 107
to propose such a sum, as he was sure it would
not be accepted. After a great deal of talk, and
my advancing to 28,000, he declared he could not
propose to the proprietor the selling it for less
than 30,000 livres, as that sum had repeatedly
been offered and refused. In a word, finding
him obstinate, I was obliged either to give it up
or agree to make this offer, which I at last did;
and this morning he informed me of its being
taken, and of course claimed much merit for hav-
ing induced the proprietor to agree to it, as he
insisted (he said) on 4000 Genoese crowns, which
make 32,000 livres. In addition to this, I have
to give 5 per cent, on the above to be divided be-
tween the priest and the person who acted as me-
diator ; so that the picture will cost altogether
above £1100 sterling, which I am afraid you will
think too much, and which I would not have
given on any other occasion than the present,
when your object seems to be to carry a point by
producing something truly of consequence. The
picture has much need of being new lined and put
into proper order, when I am confident it must
forcibly strike every person of taste and know-
ledge in the art. It is an allegory that Rubens has
repeated in another picture, but composed differ-
ently, and of which there is a modern print en-
graved by one Henriquez; but I greatly prefer