"When the notice of Mignon's statement that he had made the drawings which had been sold as Renoir's work was brought to the attention of Mitchell Kennerley, head of the Anderson Galleries, he made the following statement, published in the New York Times on June 2d:
"'I never heard of Lucien Mignon, and I doubt the story of the forgeries. Pierre Renoir is a boy about eighteen years old, and it appears that he will believe anything dealers tell him. I have known these Renoirs for the past nine years. They were the property of Baroness von Zimmerman, who died two years ago in California, and she bought them from Renoir's model. I prefer not to say anything further until I learn more about this man Mignon and communicate with Paris. We are still searching for further information in Paris about the history of the paintings.'
"As soon as I learned that Mitchell Kennerley did not accept Lucien Mignon's statement that he was the maker of the drawings sold last spring as the work of Renoir I felt that I ought to continue my investigations. I hastened to Paris, taking with me one of the drawings sold at the Anderson Galleries. I took it to Mignon first. He lives on the top floor of an old building near the Hotel des Invalides. A young boy was just going in, 'You want to find Mr. Mignon? Why, I'm his son and I'll take you right up!' The door opened into a cheerful little apartment decorated with paintings, largely the work of Mignon.
"'Ah, you were the critic who had the courage to denounce the sale of the false Renoirs? It gives me pleasure to see you. It is a sorry affair and I have been much annoyed at the way the Bulletin has attacked my art. You have perceived that my work is not an imitation of Renoir but something personal. Let me tell you the story. A Mr. Miller came to see me last fall. He brought an introduction from another dealer. He expressed himself as delighted with my work and bought a large number of my sketches in oil and of my drawings. I signed them all as I always do with work which I sell. I have his card somewhere. Oh, I think I put it in this desk. Yes, here it is. "C. V. Miller, 249 Fifth Avenue, New York." I had no idea of anything wrong. You said you had brought with you one of the drawings from the sale. Let me see it.'
"When I brought out the drawing he said: 'Yes, I remember it well, and here is a whole portfolio of drawings which you will immediately recognize as being by the same hand. I am glad you like them. You want me to write on the back of the drawing a few words to confirm what I have said? Let me have it again.'
"I gave him the drawing and here is the translation of what he wrote: 'I affirm that it is I who made this drawing and that originally it bore my signature. The series of these drawings was sold by me at my residence, 1 Rue Surcouf, Paris, in October, 1919, to Mr. C. V. Miller, of New York, 249 Fifth Avenue. Lucien Mignon.'
"From Mignon's residence it is not so very far to the home of Pierre Renoir. I was fortunate in finding him at home. The 'eighteen-year-old boy,' as Mitchell Kennerley has called him, must be almost forty. In the picture, 'Mother and Child,' painted, as I remember, in 1885, and shown last year at the Metropolitan Museum, Pierre figures as a child of a year or two old. 'It is interesting to see one of the drawings sold in New York as being by my father,' Pierre Renoir said to me, taking up the drawing. 'The signature is cleverly made, but the drawing bears little or no resemblance to my father's workmanship. I should be happy to write my opinion on the back of it if you so desire.' He wrote (translated): 'I guarantee that this drawing is not by my father, P. A. Renoir. Pierre Renoir.' Just then a gentleman entered the room. 'Monsieur Gangnat, this is Mr. Field, of the Brooklyn Eagle. Monsieur Gangnat is the largest collector in France of my father's work.' The visitor was much interested in the drawing and added his testimony to its not being by Renoir. 'It looks to me much like Mignon's work.'
"Then I visited the dean of art critics, the man best qualified to judge if the drawing was the work of Renoir—Theodore Duret. A lifelong friend of the great artist and therefore competent to judge of the authenticity of work of every period of Renoir's life, he unqualifiedly denounced the drawing I showed him as not being by the master. 'You are from Brooklyn. I was there about sixty years ago. We drove out into the country to a creek. Calling out to a fisherman we asked him to row us across. Five minutes' walk from the other side took us to the ocean. Coney Island the place was called, and they tell me it is quite built up now.'
"Mr. Mignon writes me suggesting that each purchaser of a false Renoir drawing should efface Renoir's signature and place a note saying that the drawing is by Lucien Mignon. With the forgery which I own I have preferred to leave the forged signature and to add a commentary to it stating the circumstances. Mr. Mignon has kindly offered to sign any of the drawings which may be sent to him."
In the Eagle of November 1st Mr. Miller denied ever having seen Lucien Mignon and that he had ever guaranteed the drawings as being by Renoir. His other statements were evasive.
On Sunday the 7th I returned to the attack and published in the Eagle the following:
