In an earlier meeting with Joseph Durand-Ruel, Dr. Barnes inquired about selected Renoir paintings and was annoyed at having to pay prices higher than those he had paid in the past. Durand-Ruel justified their higher prices by pointing out the value appreciation of Barnes' previous purchases of Renoir's works. This prompted Barnes to write to Durand-Ruel, calling his bluff by inquiring whether they would buy back Sailor Boy at a 50 percent premium. In this letter, Durand-Ruel attempted to clarify Barnes' misunderstanding of their policy on returning paintings purchased.
