Dear Colleagues,

While walking to work from the New York subway on a cold February day
this year, I passed what looked like a painting peaking out from a pile
of trash bags waiting to be picked up. I work with art museums and
occasionally read about incredible discoveries found in dumpsters or
flea markets. Should I stop to inspect it? I was dangerously close to my
office and did not want to be spotted picking through the trash.However,
the lure of hidden treasure was too great.

To my amazement, it turned out to be a large and impressive portrait of
a well to do gentlemen. Sadly, he had seen better times. The canvas was
loose on one corner and there were three small punctures. Still the
integrity of the painting was overpowering.

I arrived at my office with my newly discovered treasure. Upon closer
inspection, the back of the canvas revealed that the subjects name is
Andrew Foster, Esq., age 76 years, and was painted in 1848 by the New
York studio of William Jewett (1795-1873) and Samuel Lovett Waldo (1783-
1861). My brief research has since discovered that the subject was one
of the city's wealthiest citizens. Also, the portraitist team is
represented in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This is where my problems began. I can not afford the care that this
painting requires. So, what should I do? Perhaps I could sell it. Wrong.
The auction houses and galleries claim that there is no market for
portraiture. I then offered it as a gift to The Metropolitan Museum of
Art, but they were not interested because they have eight by Waldo and
Jewett already. Several other local museums declined because of the
expense of restoration ($3,500 minimum).

Could someone please help me find a home for this wonderful orphaned
painting?

Sincerely,
John Nichols
Director of Museum Services
The American Federation of Arts