Letter from Dr. Samwer, Librarian to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, asking whether the Prince Consort would like to contribute to a memorial statue to Luther in Coburg and whether he would be interested in two drawings, possibly by Raphael or a pupil, whi

Samwer writes that the Duke of Saxe-Coburg is planning a memorial to Luther in the form of a statue to be placed in the courtyard of the Veste Coburg, and wishes to know whether the Prince Consort would like to contribute. Samwer goes on to explain that he has come across two coloured drawings which he is convinced date from the best period of Italian art. The owner wants to sell them and has offered them to the Director of the Royal Museums in Berlin, Olfers. Olfers has declared that they are undoubtedly from the school of Raphael and are related to two paintings by him, a St Catherine and a seated man, of which there are engravings by Marcantonio (Raimondi). But there are differences in detail between the drawings and the engravings, so they are probably not Raphael's original preparatory drawings, but may be drawings by a contemporary of his, perhaps Giulio Romano or Polidoro, after the paintings. Olfers has offered 12 francs d'or for them, but the owner has rejected this, and wants at least the price the late Dr Braun paid for them in Rome. Samwer thinks they may be by Raphael after all, which the Prince Consort as a connoisseur of Raphael would be better able to judge than he is. He offers to send them over by the next courier if the Prince would like to see and perhaps buy them. A note by Becker at the top of the letter records his reply advising Samwer to consult Passavant in Frankfurt about the drawings. .