Letter from Gustav Waagen to Dr. Ernst Becker in answer to a request to have paintings by Raphael in Berlin photographed for Prince Albert.

Waagen states that he was ill when he received Becker's letter and apologises for being unable to attend to it earlier, but he has now approached Herr Olfers, the Director General of the Royal Museums, who gladly gave permission for the photography requested by Prince Albert. Waagen informs Becker that there is a good engraving of No. 14 on the list of pictures requested, by Eichens, a pupil of Toschi. The three others listed (8, 16 and 21) will be photographed. Waagen adds that after the publication of Passavant's book, he (Waagen) bought a picture of the Virgin and Child with St John in Rimini in 1841, of which Passavant and Rumohr shared his opinion that it was by Raphael. There is also a Christ standing in his tomb (Pietà) in the Museum; he, Rumohr and Metzger in Florence believe it is by Raphael but Passavant disagrees; and finally there is a tondo ('Rund') showing the Virgin flanked by kneeling angels leading the Christ child and St John to her, which Rumohr was convinced was by Raphael but which everyone else dismisses as an attractive picture from the Umbrian school. Waagen asks whether the Prince would like photographs of any of these pictures, and awaits further orders.