Embossed leather panel with a representation of a dancing woman in a niche with a chimaera on either side. Unpainted, Georges de Récy, Paris, 1880-1903.

Embossed leather panel with a representation of a dancing woman in a niche, with on either side a chimaera. Unpainted. On the back a filling of papier mache.

RP 25/241: Letter, dd. 9th January 1925, in which sir Courtauld Thomson is offering this leather panel, together with a carved wood group. Minute paper. dd. 4th March 1925: Sir Thomson's letter of 9th January has been overlooked. 'We do not really want the leather panel, but in the circumstances perhaps we can hardly refuse it. Please write: 'Dear Sir, I am extremely sorry to state, that owing to an oversight, there has been a delay in replying to your kind letter of the 9th Jan. in which you generously offer to present the leather panel and carved wood group which were previously exhibited in the Museum on loan. We shall have much pleasure in accepting these two objects and I wish to convey to you our best thanks for your kind offer to present them. [signed:] O.B.' W.51-1917: this panel has been accepted by the Museum because of its resemblance to this panel which was in 1917 on loan for some years by W. Lyon Thomson.

A similar panel with St. Cécile by the same maker: V&A, museum number W 51-1917.

W.25-1925