Letter from Carl Christian Vogel to Ludwig Gruner concerning a preliminary sketch by Raphael for his drawing of the Massacre of the Innocents in the possession of Queen Maria of Saxony.

In response to a letter from Gruner, Vogel writes regretting that he has no copy of the Raphael drawing in question. Count Riesch showed it to him a long time ago, when Riesch was about to take it to Paris; Vogel recalls that he thought it was the preliminary sketch for the completed drawing of the Massacre of the Innocents which belonged to the late King (of Saxony); he advised Riesch to offer it first to the King. Before this, Vogel had been told by Inspector Schweigart that he had found the drawing in a chest of drawers while on a visit to Neschwitz (Count Riesch's residence) in connection with the restoration of some paintings there; at that time no one had known of its existence. Vogel has also heard that the drawing once belonged to the Duke of Gotha. He asks where it is now, and states that when he saw it he had no doubt that it was by Raphael.
He repeats his regret that his large collection of drawings after Italian Old Masters, including 20 after Raphael, lacks a copy of precisely this one. He has 330 copies and tracings ranging from Giotto to Fedirico Baronio and Nicolas Poussin, together with drawings of sculptures and architectural subjects, and he added several more interesting drawings during his last visit to Italy. He asks Gruner for advice on how best to preserve the collection for his country; it could be very useful in lectures on the art history of the time, and he would be prepared to sell it for 400 thalers.

He concludes by expressing his pleasure that Gruner now has a post worthy of him, and that Dresden has such an outstanding representative of the art of engraving in Gruner. Vogel longs to see Dresden and Gruner again. He was distressed to hear of Naumann's misfortune.
This is probably the letter enclosed with Gruner's letter to the Prince Consort of 27 January 1860 (see VIC/ADDA10/85/443).

Related Material: For related correspondence, see VIC/ADDA10/85/443.