Bastien Gomperts, a research bio-chemist first told me I had discovered a new key to Rembrandt and that I should write it up. My wife Janet helped me to do so. Andrew Wilton polished the article and showed it to his colleague at the British Museum, Christopher White, who said it would be very important if I could prove it. I sent it to the Burlington thinking I had proved my point, it was not accepted.
Hans Brill invited me to put on a show at Imperial College called A Sculptor’s Perspective. I wrote an Introduction which started with a quote from Ernst Gombrich (quoting Ranke). I invited him to the private view, he came and the next day invited a sub-editor of The Burlington to join us at the show. He was quickly convinced that my article should be resubmittted. It was again rejected. Gombrich called a governors’ meeting and it was agreed that Gombrich should help revise the article for the Burlington. Both he and Jennifer Montagu helped me and it was published in the February issue 1977.
I would like to thank all those who helped and supported my findings for this first article and particularly Stephan and Laura Cohn who for weekend after weekend edited the first version of this book and Nancy G. Telfer for editing the script for this second version. Alaya Sinclair filmed and Hannah Toomer edited the films. Sam Toomer composed the e-book.